An Educational Review on Cardiovascular Syphilis

Cardiovascular syphilis is a tertiary infection that involves the heart and blood vessels. Typically this complication starts with an inflammation of the arteries that can be life-threatening after artery damage. Cardiovascular syphilis is the principal cause of death due to untreated primary and secondary syphilis, which can be significantly avoided. There is evidence from many sources (Bruusgaard, 1929; Turner, 1930) that if 10 percent of all cases of early syphilis are untreated, the cardiovascular system would later be involved. The period at which clinical characteristics are visible can vary from two to twenty years. But syphilitic aortitis was recognized as early as six months after the infection but not all syphilis cases are scrupulously investigated at the start or during care. Men are more affected by cardiovascular syphilis than women; that is, it is 2-4 times more common in men. In cases of hereditary syphilis, coronary syphilis tends to be uncommon, in late survivors of course. In cardiovascular syphilis, the ascending part of the thoracic aorta is usually affected, and most of the changes occur in this area. The inflammation is of vasa vasorum and their termina.