Groundbreaking research reveals a hidden impact of COVID-19: prematurely aging blood vessels, especially in women. Published in the European Heart Journal, the study of over 2,300 people across 16 countries used pulse wave velocity to measure vascular age, showing stiffer arteries equivalent to 5 extra years of aging, even in mild cases. Women, particularly those with long COVID symptoms like fatigue and breathlessness, are more affected than men, potentially explaining the rise in heart ailment