COVID-19: The risk of heart attack and stroke is eight times higher

Researchers examined more than 80,000 patients to see if there were more heart attacks and strokes after contracting Covid-19. They can clearly say yes: compared to the period before injury and from four weeks after recovery, there were significantly fewer heart attacks and strokes than from the period from injury until four weeks later: in the first week after injury, the risk for a heart attack was higher By 8.4 times, in the second week 2.5 times and in the third and fourth weeks 1.6 times. Strokes attributable to a circulatory disturbance occurred an average of 6.2 times in the first week after injury, 2.9 times more in the second week and 2.1 times more often in the third and fourth weeks. Compared with the control group, the risk of heart attack or stroke increased by 6.6 and 6.7 times, respectively.

It is still unclear why COVID-19 causes such serious complications in the heart and brain. Researchers think atrial fibrillation — a specific type of arrhythmia — or a decrease in the ACE2 molecule (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) caused by the viral disease may play a role. ACE2 is a molecule that has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system.

these: 10.1016 / S0140-6736 (21) 00896-5