(The Hill) — COVID-19 could increase the risk of major cardiac events, like strokes and heart attacks, or death from any cause, according to a new study.
The findings, published Wednesday in the American Heart Association’s peer-reviewed journal Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, revealed that individuals with blood types A, B, or AB who experienced severe COVID-19 symptoms are more likely to face future heart problems compared to those with blood type O who also had severe COVID-19.
“This study underscores that we should consider history of prior COVID-19 infection when formulating cardiovascular disease preventive plans and goals,” said co-senior author Stanley Hazen in a statement.
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The study, which took place for 1,003 days, found that patients hospitalized with COVID-19, even without a prior history of heart disease, had the same or slightly higher risk of a major cardiac event compared to those with heart disease who did not contract COVID-19.
The researchers analyzed data from 10,005 unvaccinated individuals in the UK Biobank who contracted COVID-19 and 217,730 individuals who did not, from February 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. They then examined connections between COVID-19 severity and major cardiac events over a period of about three years.
The study found that being hospitalized for COVID-19 can be considered a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk equivalent—a condition that raises the likelihood of future strokes, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular issues.
“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 CVD (cardiovascular diseases), much like Type 2 diabetes or peripheral artery disease,” co-senior study author Hooman Allayee, said in a statement.
Lead study author James Hilser explained that their study is the first to examine this link through clinical guidelines, using CAD equivalence analysis to demonstrate the potential benefits of preventive actions for physicians.
Nexstar’s Ashleigh Jackson contributed to this story.
