Having This Infection Doubles Your Heart Attack Risk, New Research Finds
According to new research out of Cleveland Clinic, contracting COVID can double the risk of experiencing adverse cardiovascular events in the future, including heart attack, stroke or even death. This is especially alarming considering that COVID is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. as of 2022, the most recent year data is available.
This can be disconcerting news—especially if you had the idea that getting COVID these days wasn’t that big of a deal. What can you do to protect yourself? Here, cardiologists explain the connection between COVID and heart health and give their best tips.
The Connection Between COVID and Heart Health
Despite what some people may think, contracting COVID is not the same as getting the flu, in part because its impact can be long-lasting. “One of the unique features of COVID is that in some people, there unfortunately appear to be long term adverse effects that can occur following resolution of the acute infection. These studies add to the growing body of data showing that COVID-19 infection can enhance risk for experiencing adverse cardiac events—heart attack, stroke and death—over time,” explains Dr. Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, co-senior author of the study and chair of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic.
Since the COVID virus has only been around since 2019, data about its long-term effects are not entirely known yet, but Dr. Hazen says that their data shows that even three years after getting COVID, there is a heightened risk for heart attack, stroke and death. “This was seen in all subjects independent of age, sex, risk factors for cardiac disease,” he says.
Why does COVID up the risk of heart attack and stroke so much? Dr. Hazen says that part of the puzzle hasn’t been figured out yet, but something that was connected is blood type. Dr. Gerhard Albrecht, MD, medical director of cardiology at Bayer, explains that blood types A, B and AB (so blood types other than type O), are more at risk for experiencing adverse cardiovascular events after getting COVID. “This connection may involve genetic factors that influence how the body responds to the virus and its aftermath, particularly in relation to thrombotic events [when a blood clot forms in an artery or vein] and cardiovascular health,” he explains.
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How to Protect Your Heart Health From COVID-19 Impacts
Get vaccinated and boosted
You can’t control your blood type. So what can you do to protect yourself? First, stay on top of your COVID vaccines. “The more severe the COVID-19 infection, the higher the risk for post COVID-19 heightened cardiac risks,” Dr. Hazen says.
Cardiologist Dr. Danielle Belardo, MD, adds to this, saying that studies indicate that individuals who received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine experienced a reduced risk of stroke and heart attack, particularly in the months following a breakthrough infection. “Vaccination appears to mitigate some of the cardiovascular risks associated with COVID, although further research is needed to fully understand the long-term benefits,” she says.
Maintain heart-healthy habits
Dr. Hazen and Dr. Albrecht says that taking care of your heart is important too. That means following a heart-healthy diet, exercising regularly and having habits in place that help with stress reduction. Both doctors explain that people in poor heart health are hit harder by COVID and that the more serious a COVID infection is, the higher the risk is of experiencing adverse cardiovascular effects in the future.
“Research indicates that those hospitalized for severe COVID face nearly four times the risk of major cardiovascular events compared to individuals without a COVID history. This heightened risk persists for up to three years post-infection, suggesting a strong link between the severity of the illness and long-term cardiovascular health,” Dr. Albrecht says.
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Keep up with your check-ups
In addition to following a heart-healthy diet and lifestyle, Dr. Belardo says that regular cardiovascular check-ups and discussions with healthcare providers about potential preventive measures, such as medications or lifestyle changes, are also a way to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. If you are primarily in good health, this can simply mean staying on top of your annual check-ins with your primary care provider. But if cardiovascular disease, heart attacks or strokes run in your family or you are at higher risk for experiencing them, it’s worth it to see a cardiologist yearly to manage your risk.
As we move into winter when more people are spending time indoors and illnesses such as COVID become easier to contract, it’s important to do what you can to minimize your risk. Protecting yourself from COVID also protects yourself from experiencing a heart attack or stroke in the future. Consider this your sign to get vaccinated today!
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Sources
Dr. Stanley Hazen, MD, PhD, chair of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences at Cleveland Clinic
Dr. Gerhard Albrecht, MD, medical director of cardiology at Bayer
Dr. Danielle Belardo, MD, cardiologist in Los Angeles, California