Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi , Apr 2: A new study has found that individuals suffering from Long COVID may face a significantly increased risk of developing cardiovascular conditions, even if their initial infection was mild.

Researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, in a study published in the journal eClinicalMedicine, reported a higher incidence of conditions such as cardiac arrhythmia and coronary artery disease among both men and women diagnosed with long COVID.

The study, which analysed data from over 1.2 million individuals aged 18 to 65, found that around 9,000 people (0.7%) had long COVID, with nearly two-thirds being women. Over a follow-up period of about four years, those with the condition showed a markedly higher likelihood of experiencing cardiovascular events.

Among women with long COVID, 18.2% developed cardiovascular issues compared to 8.4% without the condition. For men, the figures stood at 20.6% versus 11.1%. Researchers noted that women faced more than double the risk, while men had about a one-third higher risk.

In addition, women with long COVID were found to have an elevated risk of heart failure and peripheral vascular disease. However, the study did not find a clear link between long COVID and stroke.

Lead researcher Pia Lindberg highlighted that many long COVID patients were never hospitalised during their initial infection, raising concerns that secondary complications may go undetected.

The findings underscore the importance of long-term monitoring and structured follow-up care, especially considering gender differences, as long COVID continues to emerge as a significant global health concern.