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The researchers, who published the paper in the medical journal Nature Medicine, according to Science and Reuters, analysed and compared data on the occurrence of new cardiovascular problems in 153 people.760 people who were infected with coronavirus, 5.6 million who were not infected and another 5.9 million pre-pandemic.
It was found that one year after recovery from the acute phase of Covid-19 infection, those who recovered had a 63% greater risk of heart attack, 69% greater risk of cardiac arrhythmia, 52% greater risk of stroke, 72% greater risk of heart failure, and nearly triple the risk of a potentially fatal blood clot in the lungs than those who were not infected and sick with coronavirus.
The increased risk applies to both sexes, young and old, smokers and non-smokers, diabetic and non-diabetic, obese and non-obese. Also, those who had passed even relatively mild Covid-19 without needing hospitalization, although the likelihood of heart problems later is higher for those with heavier Covid-19.
Cardiologist Eric Topol of the American Sripps Research Institute noted that "the findings are strikingly worse than expected. These are all very serious disorders. If one thought Covid was like the flu, the new irrefutable data shows that it certainly isn't. This is probably the most impressive study on long Covid-19 that we have seen to date."
"In the post-Covid era, Covid-19 may become the biggest risk factor for cardiovascular problems, said Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Larissa Teresenko."
"There is clear evidence of long-term damage to the heart and blood vessels. Similar things can happen in the brain and other organs, leading to symptoms characteristic of long Covid-19," said lead investigator, clinical epidemiologist Ziyad Al-Ali of Washington University in St. Louis.
Exactly by what mechanism the coronavirus causes long-term damage to the heart and blood vessels remains a contentious and debated issue among scientists. One possible cause is by causing inflammation in the epithelial cells inside the cardiovascular system, another is by the virus directly attacking the myocardium, and a third is by increasing cytokine levels.
Researchers warned that millions of people who passed Covid-19 may develop cardiovascular problems in the coming years. They stressed that those who got sick from coronavirus in the past should be careful about their health and consult a doctor if they experience symptoms such as chest pain or pressure, palpitations (that were not pre-existing), swelling in the legs, etc.
A second related US scientific study, which analyzed data on 133.366 people over 65 years of age and published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), found that nearly one in three (32%) older people over 65 who became ill with Covid-19 in 2020 subsequently developed at least one new health problem (heart, kidney, lung, liver, mental health, etc.) that required medical follow-up. Common problems included respiratory failure, fatigue, hypertension and mental disorders.
Links to scientific publications: https:/www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01689-3 and https:/www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021068414
Source: Cyprus Times
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