Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection face a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular death, subclinical carotid thickening and atherosclerosis, and cerebrocardiovascular events—especially when they also have diabetes and hypertension—according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 22 studies published in the January issue of Gastroenterology. Read more about what researchers discovered at Family Practice News: http://www.familypracticenews.com/specialty-focus/gastroenterology/single-article-page/hepatitis-c-virus-infection-linked-to-cardiovascular-death-disease-and-stroke/b2a81f04cbda6c9aaa51466f699f3dc9.html.