Home / Health / Long COVID Triggers Serious Heart Risk, Study Finds
Long COVID Triggers Serious Heart Risk, Study Finds
8 Apr
Summary
- Long COVID patients show higher risk of heart attack, arrhythmias, and heart failure.
- Women with long COVID were twice as likely to develop heart conditions.
- Cardiac risks are present even in younger adults not hospitalized for initial infection.
New research indicates a substantial increase in the risk of severe cardiovascular events among individuals suffering from long COVID. This includes conditions such as heart attack, arrhythmias, and heart failure, even affecting younger adults who were not hospitalized for their initial infection.
The study, which analyzed over 1.2 million health records in Sweden, identified a troubling trend: long COVID diagnoses were strongly associated with major cardiovascular events in the four years following infection.
While both men and women faced heightened dangers, the impact on women was particularly striking. They were twice as likely to develop heart conditions, including arrhythmias, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease. The research did not establish a link between long COVID and stroke.
Researchers emphasize the need for a more structured approach to monitoring long COVID patients, particularly noting that heart symptoms can be subtle and easily overlooked, especially in women.
