Warning to those who've had Covid in 2021-2024 face double the likelihood of death 3 years later

A new study has found that Covid-19 increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke or death up to three years later, with the risk even higher among people with blood types A, B or AB

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Preventative care may now be needed, the study suggests

A new study has issued a stark warning that those who have had Covid in last three years are doubles the risk of a heart attack, stroke or death up to three years later. The threat is even more pronounced among individuals with blood types A, B or AB who learned they contracted the virus through free Covid tests compared to those with type O, according to researchers.

The scientists scrutinized health and genetic data from over 10,000 adults aged above 50.

This included approximately 8,000 who tested positive for the Covid-19 virus, which saw an influx of people who'd fallen ill with the sickness over the summer, between February 1 and December 31, 2020, and around 2,000 who were diagnosed with the virus in hospital during 2020.

For comparison, they also examined a group of over 200,000 adults who had no record of Covid infection during the same period and were participating in the ongoing UK Biobank study. None of the participants had been vaccinated at the time of infection as Covid-19 vaccines were not yet available.

The research revealed that adults who experienced mild to severe Covid were more likely to have suffered a heart attack, stroke or died in the subsequent three years. The heightened risk of heart attack, stroke or death associated with Covid-19 infection was on par with cardiovascular risk factors such as Type 2 diabetes, peripheral artery disease and cardiovascular disease, the findings showed.

Published in the journal Arteriosclerosis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, the study also discovered that having a non-O blood type increased the risk of a heart attack, stroke or death among those infected by Covid, reports North Wales Live.

The American research squad has revealed that post-Covid patients could potentially dodge heart attacks or strokes by preemptively embracing treatments designed to prevent cardiovascular disease. The head of the study, James Hilser from the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine in Los Angeles, issued a statement saying: "We found a long-term cardiovascular health risk associated with Covid, especially among people with more severe Covid-19 cases that required hospitalisation."

He added, regarding the lingering threats, "This increased risk of heart attack and stroke continued three years after Covid-19 infection. Remarkably, in some cases, the increased risk was almost as high as having a known cardiovascular risk factor such as Type 2 diabetes or peripheral artery disease."

It was already well-documented that Covid-19 can spike the hazard of grave heart-related complications within the first month post-infection. Delving deeper into the issue, this new study measures the duration of the escalated threat and if it diminishes once recovery from the virus is achieved.

They observed that during the extensive three-year observation period, subjects who had contracted Covid-19 saw their threat levels for heart attacks, strokes, and mortality skyrocketmore than doubling for those who went through the illness, and quadrupling for patients serious enough to be hospitalized, compared to uninfected individuals.

People hospitalized with Covid, who were previously free of cardiovascular disease or Type 2 diabetes, presented a 21% higher risk of heart attacks, strokes or deaths compared to uninfected individuals with cardiovascular problems. Moreover, the study discovered a noteworthy genetic correlation specifically among non-O blood groups when it comes to hospitalization due to Covid.

Severe Covid-19 cases have been linked to a surge in heart attack and stroke risks, but this threat escalates further for those with non-O blood types. People with blood types A, B, or AB are facing approximately 65% more danger of these conditions than their type O counterparts.

Professor Stanley Hazen from the Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute underlined the global significance of the discovery, remarking: "Worldwide, over a billion people have already experienced Covid-19 infection. The findings reported are not a small effect in a small subgroup" and "The results included nearly a quarter million people and point to a finding of global health care importance that may translate into an explanation for a rise in cardiovascular disease around the world."

Professor Hooman Allayee of the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, a co-senior author of a recent study, highlighted, "The results of our study highlight the long-term cardiovascular effects of Covid-19 infection. Given the increased risk of heart attack, stroke and death, the question is whether or not severe Covid-19 should be considered as another risk factor for cardiovascular disease, much like Type 2 diabetes or peripheral artery disease, where treatment focused on cardiovascular disease prevention may be valuable."

Allayee also observed, "The results suggest that people with prior Covid infection may benefit from preventive care for cardiovascular disease."

Intrigued by the revelations, Professor Sandeep Das, who co-chairs the American Heart Association, remarked on the findings: "They show that something located close to the genetic home of ABO blood type is associated with different degrees of susceptibility to Covid."

Das expressed his anticipation for future research, saying, "This is really fascinating, and I look forward to seeing scientists tease out what the specific pathway may be."

https://www.themirror.com/news/health/warning-those-whove-covid-2021-740049

Monday 4 November 2024

Warning to those who've had Covid in 2021-2024 face double the likelihood of death 3 years later

A new study has found that Covid-19 increases the risk of a heart attack, stroke or death up to three years later, with the risk even higher among people with blood types A, B or AB

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