Long COVID Increases Cardiovascular Risk

A new study led by Karolinska Institute, published in eClinicalMedicine, found that people with long COVID face an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease, including cardiac arrhythmias and coronary artery disease. This risk is present even in individuals who were not hospitalized during their acute COVID-19 infection. The study, which included over 1.2 million people aged 18 to 65, showed that women with long COVID had more than twice the risk of a cardiovascular diagnosis, while men had approximately a third higher risk. Pia Lindberg, the lead author, emphasized the need for systematic monitoring of long COVID patients, especially considering gender differences in symptom presentation. The research was a collaboration with Karolinska University Hospital, Academic Primary Care Centre/Sweden — Stockholm County, and Uppsala University, with funding from Sweden — Stockholm County and the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation.