Research Reveals Serious COVID-19 Illness Increases Chances of Heart Attack and Death
Individuals who have experienced any type of COVID-19 infection are twice as likely to suffer a major cardiac event, such as a heart attack, stroke, or even death, for up to three years following their diagnosis, according to new research conducted by the Cleveland Clinic and the University of Southern California.
The study revealed that the risk is significantly heightened for patients who were hospitalized due to COVID-19, surpassing the risks associated with a prior history of heart disease. “I now routinely incorporate a COVID infection into my preventive cardiovascular risk assessment,” said Dr. Stanley Hazen, co-senior study author and chair of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute. “If a person confirms they had COVID, it’s even more reason to aggressively monitor their cholesterol levels, control their blood pressure, and ensure their diabetes is well-managed, as heart disease remains the leading cause of death, and COVID has become an additional risk factor.”
The study also found that individuals with blood types A, B, or AB were more susceptible to COVID-19 infections. Further genetic analysis indicated that those with non-O blood types (A, B, or AB) were twice as likely to experience adverse cardiovascular events following a COVID-19 infection compared to individuals with O blood type.
Researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank, comparing 10,005 individuals who contracted COVID-19 with 217,730 who did not between February and December 2020. The findings, published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, emphasize that the long-term cardiovascular risks associated with COVID-19 continue to pose a significant public health burden, warranting further investigation by the authors.
