In mild cases of COVID, blood clot risk is higher Coronavirus Disease COVID Mortality Heart_BMJ
By Dr. Chinta SidharthanOct 27 2022Reviewed by Benedette Cuffari, M.Sc. In a recent study published in the journal Heart, researchers examine the association between the coronavirus disease 2019 and increased cardiovascular outcomes and mortality sequelae.
While many studies have examined the cardiovascular outcomes after recovery from COVID-19, none have examined the differential risks based on COVID-19 severity. Furthermore, many of these have been retrospective studies. COVID-19 incidence was defined based on primary care disease codes, Hospital Episode Statistics records, or a positive antigen or polymerase chain reaction test. Propensity score variables such as age, body mass index, sex, ethnicity, Townsend deprivation index, smoking behavior, and comorbidities such as diabetes, ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and high cholesterol were included in the analysis.
Study findings Related StoriesAn increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, pericarditis, venous thromboembolism, all-cause mortality, and death due to ischemic heart disease and cardiovascular disease was associated with COVID-19 hospitalizations. In contrast, non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients were at a higher risk of only venous thromboembolisms and all-cause mortality.
Increased incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke post-recovery among hospitalized COVID-19 patients was also consistent with previous retrospective and prospective analyses performed in Sweden and Denmark, respectively.