Over the past week I’ve been digging into research on pulse wave velocity (PWV) — the measure of how stiff our big arteries are. PWV has long been one of the strongest predictors of heart attacks, strokes, kidney disease, and dementia. It tells us when arteries are aging faster than they should.
In COVID, PWV becomes even more important. Studies show that infection (and perhaps even vaccination) accelerates arterial stiffening. That might sound like a technical detail, but the implications are enormous: if the body’s largest arteries are aging prematurely, the whole system feels the strain.
When I put together my recent presentation on rapid vascular aging, I started asking what was behind this sudden increase in stiffness. I’ve always known that inflammation played a role — but the real insight came when I revisited research using PET scans in patients with moderate to severe COVID. Almost all of them showed aortic inflammation.
That finding hit me hard. It explains why so many people with long COVID have chest tightness, breathlessness, and vague cardiovascular symptoms that never show up on standard scans. The inflammation is real, but it’s hidden in the walls of the aorta — a place routine imaging cannot see.
Why this matters for long COVID
For patients struggling with ongoing symptoms, it’s frustrating when nothing abnormal shows up on ECGs, echocardiograms, or X-rays. Doctors are left scratching their heads, and patients often feel dismissed.
But if the aorta and its feeding vessels (the vasa vasorum) are inflamed, that would explain the persistent symptoms without obvious findings on conventional tests. It also means we now have a target — something we can measure and study with the right tools.
We’re building a WhatsApp Chest Pain Group for people living with long COVID. It’s a space to share experiences, compare symptoms, and work together to better understand what’s really happening. To join, please take a moment to complete the short survey below. Once submitted, you’ll receive the link to join the group.
Your insights will not only help the community — they could also guide future research..
Why I’m hopeful
This discovery doesn’t solve long COVID overnight, but it provides a vital clue. In science, once you know where to look, answers tend to follow. PET imaging has shown us a hidden site of inflammation that could unify many unexplained symptoms.
I believe this is the start of a more precise understanding of long COVID. And with better understanding comes the possibility of targeted treatments — whether natural, pharmacological, or lifestyle-based.
For those suffering, this should be a reason for optimism: your symptoms are not imagined, they are not invisible, and they are finally becoming explainable.
Looking forward
This is only the beginning. We still need to dissect how spike protein, the immune system, and vascular inflammation fit together. But recognizing the aorta as a central player is a breakthrough.
I share this update because it leaves me feeling more positive about the road ahead. Long COVID is complex, but the science is moving forward — and every new piece brings us closer to solutions.
Let’s hope those answers come soon.
