PressSplit
A study shows that certain patients are at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes after a Covid infection. Which factors have an influence.
Munich – More than four years after the first infections with Covid-19 appeared, there are more and more studies looking at the long-term consequences of the disease. Current research results confirm that the virus can have a drastic effect on the heart. Strokes are also linked to this. Who can be particularly affected and what factors can be influenced.
Covid infection affects the heart
Virus-related infections are currently spreading throughout Europe diseases In addition to influenza, this also increasingly includes Covid. The latter is continuing to mutate this year and is therefore leading to a high number of illnesses. In the first week of October the incidence was loud Robert Koch Institute (RKI) 1200 reported illnesses per 100,000 inhabitants. Although most sufferers now survive the infection well, according to the RKI, there are currently an increasing number of cases of hospital admissions that require ventilation because the virus attacks the lungs.
The XEC variant currently dominant in Germany is a mutation of its predecessor, the FLIRT variant KP.3.1.1. According to experts, XEC would be more severe and cause a much greater feeling of illness. A new study from the USA now makes it clear that you should not treat viral diseases carelessly, even if the symptoms are mild. In the case of Covid, the results showed that the infection can have fatal long-term consequences.
Cold, influenza or corona?
Respiratory diseases are similar in symptoms. This is how you can distinguish what you could be suffering from and whether a visit to the doctor makes sense.
colds are usually caused by rhinoviruses or RS viruses. They are usually mild and spread gradually. They are characterized by typical cold symptoms such as a runny nose, cough and sore throat. Only in rare cases do those affected have an elevated temperature or fever. However, complications such as pneumonia are also possible due to the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
One Flu is caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms appear suddenly and are often more severe. Those affected mainly suffer from fever, cough and sore throat. In addition, there are headaches and body aches as well as a severe feeling of illness. Sweating, a runny nose and, more rarely, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea are also possible. Flu can cause complications such as pneumonia, inflammation of the brain or heart muscle, which can be life-threatening.
At a Corona infectionwhich is caused by Sars-CoV-2, Various respiratory problems occur such as runny nose, cough and sore throat. As with the flu, there are also headaches, body aches and fever. Sufferers also complain of shortness of breath and gastrointestinal problems. Disturbances of the sense of smell or taste have also been frequently reported. The long-term consequences can be particularly serious: “Long Covid” means that concentration and memory problems, depressive symptoms or persistent exhaustion are sometimes permanent.
Source: Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA), Gesund.bund.de
How Researchers from the University of Southern California (USC) found outa Covid infection doubles the risk of heart attack and stroke. Because the study was designed to last three years, the occurrence of the diseases refers to this period under consideration. It confirmed previous assumptions that a Covid infection can lead to cardiac arrhythmias and increased heart rate. Patients who suffered a serious infection and had to be treated in hospital were seven times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. If you had a previous cardiovascular disease, the risk was twelve times higher.
The study also compared patients with and without previous complaints Cardiovascular system. Those who had no previous heart problems were still 20 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke because they became infected with Covid. Another factor influences the risk of heart disease and related problems: the blood type of the sufferer. According to study results, people with a blood group other than 0 have a higher risk of a stroke or heart attack if they have experienced a severe course of Covid. Further research is necessary for more precise connections.
Heart attack and stroke can be consequences of Covid
For epidemiologist Prof. Dr. Klaus Stöhr is not surprised by the results: “Other viral respiratory diseases with severe courses, such as influenza, can have similar consequences,” said the 65-year-old IPPEN.MEDIA. “Large studies from the USA show that around eleven percent of patients who were seriously ill with influenza had a secondary illness within three to six months, and the same number were the same with Covid. Studies also show that influenza vaccination also reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.”
He emphasizes that vaccination does not protect against infection. However, the current vaccine approval stipulates that the vaccination must reduce the severity of the disease by at least one level. Whether you get vaccinated is an individual risk-benefit assessment. Other viral respiratory diseases caused by RSV, adenoviruses or rhinoviruses can also result in secondary diseases, although in the past the majority of them did not take such a severe course, says Stöhr.
A study confirms that a corona infection can lead to damage to the heart and other vital organs. © Michael Bihlmayer/IMAGO
The scientific study, published in the journal Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, analyzed samples from patients between February and December 2020. The subjects were then followed for almost three years. Around 220,000 men and women took part in the study. Of these, around 10,000 tested positive for Covid-19 using a PCR test, with 2,000 having a severe course of the disease.
There are certain groups of people who are considered to be particularly at risk of viral infection. These include people over 60 years of age, people with chronic illnesses regardless of age, pregnant women, residents of old people’s and nursing homes as well as people with an increased occupational risk, such as medical staff. Nevertheless, an infection due to unknown pre-existing conditions can increase the risk of long-term consequences for anyone infected. A recent study made it clear that a Covid infection can age the brain by up to 20 years. There are some myths about prevention, but some things have been proven to protect against respiratory diseases. (disease)
