The research, conducted by scientists from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and Cleveland Clinic and published Oct. 9 in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, underscores the long-term cardiovascular impact of the virus, particularly for those who were hospitalized.
Here are four key findings:
- COVID-19 patients face an elevated risk of MACE, including heart attack, stroke and all-cause mortality, that persists for more than two years after infection. The study found that the risk of MACE remained significantly higher for COVID-19 patients compared to the general population, even beyond 1,000 days post-infection.
- For individuals hospitalized with COVID-19, the risk of MACE was found to be similar to that of patients with existing coronary artery disease. Notably, the risk of a heart attack or stroke was higher for COVID-19 patients without a history of cardiovascular disease than for individuals with cardiovascular disease who had not been infected with the virus.
- The study identified a significant genetic interaction between the ABO blood group locus and COVID-19. Individuals with blood types that were not Type “O” had a higher risk of thrombotic events.
- The use of antiplatelet medications in primary care patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 and had no history of cardiovascular disease appeared to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke, researchers found.
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