Photo Courtesy of Reuters
A new study released by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs reported that people who have recovered from COVID-19 have a 63 percent higher chance of having a heart attack. The study was published on Feb. 7.
Researchers also found that coronavirus patients had a 52 percent higher chance of having a stroke after surviving COVID-19. Recovered patients have a shocking 72 percent higher risk of heart failure and are three times likely to die from a blood clot in the lungs. Patients were
also 69 percent at higher risk for irregular heart rhythms.The study included results from Black and white patients as well as male and female, smokers and non-smokers, young and old. The study also included people with and without diabetes and kidney disease.
Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly of the VA St. Louis Health Care System and Washington University told Reuters that people who had mild COVID symptoms and were not hospitalized were particularly vulnerable and should seek medical care if they experience leg swelling, chest pains, pressure or palpitations.
“It really spared no one,” said Al-Aly. “People with COVID-19 should pay attention to their health and seek medical care if they experience symptoms like chest pain, chest pressure, palpitation, swelling in the legs, etc.”
Al-Aly also shared the study’s results on Twitter.
“The latest from our team on the long-term cardiovascular consequences of Covid-19 in @NatureMedicine@VAResearch @vahsrd @WUSTLpubhealth @WUSTLmed @WUSTLnews @VREFSTL @NaturePortfolio @Biostayan @BCBowe A thread.”
Reuters also reported that two doses of the Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech vaccine has been shown to work well for cancer patients and do not cause additional short-term side effects in patients with cancer.
The COVID-19 study on cardiovascular issues found that the higher risks of heart attacks, heart disease, heart failure, strokes and blood clots could last for up to one year after recovering from the coronavirus.