People with hepatitis C are at higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, suffering a stroke, or developing cardiovascular problems than people with similar risk factors and no hepatitis C, according to a new study in Gastroenterology.

Hepatitis C is considered the most serious form of the viral diseases. It attacks the liver and causes inflammation.

Previous studies showed mixed results on whether the disease increases the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.

Italian researchers identified 22 studies, involving a total of 68,365 people, in which the cardiovascular outcomes of people with hepatitis C were fully reported.

Among the group there were 735 deaths.

The study was designed to measure three outcomes:

• Cardiovascular mortality (death from any cardiovascular cause)

• Carotid atherosclerosis as measured by carotid plaques (plaques, composed of cholesterol, calcium, and fibrous tissue, build up in the arteries and their presence raises the risk of heart attack and stroke)

• Stroke or heart attack

The pooled data revealed that people with hepatitis C had a 65 percent greater risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those without the disease.

They were also more than two-and-a-half times more likely to have a buildup of carotid plaque within their carotid arteries.