According to a new study, long after recovery from COVID-19 infection, people have a significantly higher risk for developing new cardiovascular problems.

Investigators at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs compared the rates of new cardiovascular problems among 153,760 people infected with COVID-19 before vaccines were available, 5.6 million individuals who did not contract the infection, and 5.9 million individuals whose data was obtained prior to the pandemic. 

After an average of one year following recovery from the acute phase of infection, COVID-19 survivors appeared to have a 63% higher risk for heart attack, 69% higher risk for irregular heart rhythm, 52% higher risk for stroke, 72% higher risk for heart failure, and about 3-fold higher risk of potentially fatal blood clot in the lungs, when compared with the other two groups. The increased risks noted in COVID survivors were observed in young and old, Blacks and Whites, males and females, those with and without diabetes, those with and without kidney disease, and among those who smoked and nonsmokers, noted researchers.

The findings are published in Nature Medicine… (Reuters, February 10, 2022)