Covid-19 may increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and deaths for three years after an infection, study suggests

Long-term Cardiovascular Risk: COVID-19 poses a substantial risk for heart attacks, strokes, and cardiovascular deaths for nearly three years after infection, with risks doubling for those who had COVID and tripling for those who were hospitalized.

Comparison to Other Conditions: For individuals hospitalized with COVID, the risk of future cardiovascular events is similar to that associated with diabetes or peripheral artery disease.

Persistent Risk Over Time: The elevated heart risks do not diminish over time, which is unusual compared to other infections where the increased risk typically fades shortly after recovery.

Blood Type Influence: The study found that people with non-O blood types (A, B, or AB) had a higher risk of cardiovascular events post-COVID compared to those with O-type blood, although the latter group was still at increased risk.

Potential Mitigation with Aspirin: Hospitalized COVID patients taking low-dose aspirin showed no increase in subsequent heart attack or stroke risk, indicating that the risk can potentially be mitigated.