A new large-scale study suggests that covid-19 could represent an important risk factor for heart attacks and strokes for three years after infection. The research, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biologywas based on the medical data of around 250,000 people registered in the UK Biobank database.
From that data set, the researchers identified more than 11,000 people tested positive for covid-19 in 2020, of which about 3,000 were hospitalized. These groups were compared to more than 222,000 people who did not contract the virus in the same period. The results showed that those who were infected in 2020, before vaccines existed, had twice as likely to suffer serious cardiac events, such as heart attacks or strokes, compared to those who did not contract the disease.
In those who were hospitalized for Covid, the risk was even higher: more than three times higher compared to people with no history of infection. In fact, in severe cases, the virus appeared to have as severe an impact on the cardiovascular system as chronic diseases, such as diabetes or peripheral artery disease.
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According to specialists, those who contracted the virus are twice as likely to suffer serious cardiac events.
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Lasting effects of covid-19 on the heart
A key finding of the study was that The cardiovascular effects of covid-19 did not decrease over time. According to Dr. Stanley Hazen, who led the research from the Cleveland Clinic, this is one of the most unexpected discoveries, since the risk does not seem to reduce over the years, as occurs with other infections.
Dr. Patricia Best, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, commented that while it is known that infections in general can increase the risk of heart attack, this effect usually disappears quickly. However, the impact of covid-19 appears to be more persistent, which differentiates it from other viral or bacterial diseases.
Scientists still do not fully understand why Covid-19 has such long-lasting effects on the cardiovascular system. One hypothesis is that the virus could be affecting the walls of the arteries, promoting the formation of plaques that could then rupture and cause dangerous clots.
The influence of blood type and protective factors
The study also revealed that people with blood types A, B or AB were more likely to develop heart problems after a Covid-19 infection compared to those with blood type Owhich seemed to have slight protection. However, this group was still at high risk.
On the other hand, the researchers found an encouraging fact: those who were hospitalized for Covid-19 but took low-dose aspirin showed no increased likelihood of heart attacks or strokes. This suggests that certain treatments could mitigate the cardiovascular risk associated with the virus.
Conclusions and recommendations
Dr. Hazen highlighted the importance of be attentive to the cardiovascular health of those who have suffered from covid-19especially if they were hospitalized. In addition to control blood pressure and cholesterol, recommended considering the use of daily aspirin in some cases.
While the study did not explore the impact of vaccines, Hazen suggested that they likely offer some protection by preventing serious infections. He also noted that more research is needed to understand how repeated infections might affect the cardiovascular system in the long term.
