Study suggests Covid-19 may increase risk of heart disease

In the study, scientists identified more than 11,000 people who tested positive for COVID-19 in their medical records in 2020 and nearly 3,000 who were hospitalized. They compared them to more than 222,000 people who did not have COVID-19 during that time.

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Research shows that people who contracted COVID-19 in 2020, before a vaccine was developed, were twice as likely to develop serious cardiovascular complications — including heart attack, stroke and death — in the three years after infection, compared to people who did not contract the virus.

Research shows that hospitalized COVID-19 patients are three times more likely to experience cardiovascular events than those without COVID-19.

Furthermore, for those who are hospitalized, COVID-19 appears to be a significant risk factor for future heart attacks and strokes, similar to diabetes or peripheral artery disease (PAD).

A study has shown that more than 3.5 million Americans were hospitalized with COVID-19 between May 2020 and April 2021.

Another alarming finding from the latest research shows that the risk of cardiovascular events in people who have had COVID-19 is not only increased but also persists for a long time.

"The risk doesn't decrease, and may even increase over time. I think that's one of the most surprising findings," said Dr. Stanley Hazen, a leading cardiologist.

Dr. Patricia Best, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, who was not involved in the study, said the finding was surprising and appeared to be unique to COVID-19.

Researchers say it's still unclear exactly why COVID-19 has such a lasting impact on the cardiovascular system.

However, it is believed that the coronavirus can penetrate blood vessel walls and damage plaques, increasing the risk of blood clots forming and leading to dangerous complications such as heart attacks and strokes.

"COVID-19 can cause lasting damage to the vascular system, even after a patient has recovered," said Dr. Hooman Allayee, professor of biochemistry and molecular genetics at the Keck School of Medicine.

Researchers also believe that genes that code for blood type may be linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke after COVID-19, but they are still unclear about the specific causes.

“If you have had COVID-19, you need to be especially careful about reducing your cardiovascular risk,” Dr. Hazen stressed. You should always check your blood pressure, cholesterol, and maybe take an aspirin a day.

Ha Trang (according to CNN)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nghien-cuu-cho-thay-covid-19-co-the-lam-tang-nguy-co-mac-benh-tim-trong-suot-3-nam-post316195.html