Several years after their recovery from the disease Covid-19, even after a year, people face a significantly increased risk of new and even serious heart problems, according to a new major US scientific study, the largest of its kind to date.
The researchers, who published the study in the journal Nature Medicine, according to Science and Reuters, analyzed and compared data on the occurrence of new cardiovascular problems in 153.760 people infected with coronavirus, 5,6 millions who had not been infected and another 5,9 million before the pandemic.
It was found that one year after recovery from the acute phase of the infection Covid-19 Recipients had a 63% higher risk of heart attack, 69% of cardiac arrhythmia, 52% of stroke, 72% of heart failure and almost three times the risk of a potentially fatal blood clot in the lungs compared to those who were not infected and had coronavirus disease.
The increased risk affects both sexes, young and old, smokers and non-smokers, diabetics and non-diabetics, obese and non-obese. Also, those who had passed even relatively mildly Covid-19, without the need for hospitalization, although the likelihood of heart problems later is higher for those who had more severe Covid-19.
Eri Topol, a cardiologist at the Sripps Research Institute in the United States, said the findings were "impressive; worse than expected." These are all very serious disorders. If one thought Covid was like the flu, the new indisputable data show that it certainly is not. This is probably the most impressive study of the long Covid-19 that we have seen so far ".
"In the post-Covid era, the Covid-19 "It could be the biggest risk factor for cardiovascular problems," said Larissa Teresenko, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
"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 long-lasting symptoms. Covid-19Said lead researcher, clinical epidemiologist Ziyad Al-Ali of the University of Washington at St. Louis.
Exactly by what mechanism the coronavirus causes long-term damage to the heart and blood vessels remains a controversial and controversial topic among scientists. One possible cause is inflammation of the epithelial cells inside the cardiovascular system, another is the direct attack of the virus on the myocardium and a third is the increase in cytokine levels.
Researchers have warned that millions of people have passed Covid-19 may develop cardiovascular problems in the coming years. They stressed that those who have had coronavirus in the past should take care of their health and consult a doctor if they experience symptoms such as pain or pressure in the chest, palpitations (which did not exist before), swelling in the legs, etc.
A second US scientific study, which looked at data from 133.366 people over the age of 65 and published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), found that almost one in three (32%) elderly people over the age of 65 who became ill from Covid-19 in 2020 then appeared at least one new health problem (heart, kidneys, lungs, liver, mental health, etc.) that needed medical attention. Common problems were respiratory failure, fatigue, hypertension and mental disorders.
Source: RES-EAP