"Even Healthy Individuals Have Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease After COVID-19 Infection"

Professor Jang-Hoon Lee of Kyungpook National University School of Medicine is presenting at the '2022 Acute Cardiac Arrest Survey Symposium' held on the 16th at the Courtyard Marriott Namdaemun, Seoul. Photo by Youngwon Kim

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Young-won] Even healthy individuals without underlying conditions have a higher likelihood of developing heart disease if they have been infected with COVID-19. The probability of cardiovascular disease occurring is also high not only during or immediately after COVID-19 infection but also in the 'Long COVID' phase.

On the 16th, Professor Lee Jang-hoon of Kyungpook National University School of Medicine introduced research findings on COVID-19 and heart disease at the '2022 Acute Cardiac Arrest Survey Symposium' held at the Courtyard Marriott Namdaemun in Seoul.

Professor Lee stated, "When the virus enters our body, it primarily causes various respiratory symptoms, but in severe cases, it can affect heart disease," adding, "Conditions such as myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and myocarditis can occur in healthy individuals due to the COVID-19 virus." He further noted, "Acute myocardial injury is common in COVID-19 patients and is reported in about 20-45% of cases."

In particular, regarding thrombosis caused by blood clotting within blood vessels, Professor Lee explained that there is a difference between thrombosis caused by COVID-19 and thrombosis caused by other mechanisms. He said, "Blood tests show low 'D-dimer' and increased 'PT (Prothrombin time)' levels, which do not align with traditional thrombosis," adding, "The problem is that about half of these thromboses cause myocardial infarction and result in death." D-dimer is a protein produced when blood clots are dissolved in the body, and measuring D-dimer levels can confirm the presence of thrombosis. PT is a test that evaluates a patient's blood coagulation function by measuring the time it takes for plasma to clot after adding thromboplastin, phospholipids, and calcium ions.

The likelihood of cardiovascular disease occurring due to 'Long COVID,' where symptoms persist for more than four weeks after COVID-19 infection rather than immediately after infection, increases further. Based on research published in the scientific journal Diseases (MDPI), Professor Lee said, "More people with Long COVID experience chest pain than those who have had COVID-19." According to this study, among eight symptoms, the proportion of Long COVID sufferers experiencing cardiovascular symptoms such as chest pain was 12.3%, higher than the 3.4% of COVID-19 patients.

A study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs comparing individuals previously infected with COVID-19 and those never infected also demonstrates the long-term cardiovascular effects of COVID-19. The study of 153,760 COVID-19 survivors showed that the risk of heart attack increased by 63%, the risk of problematic irregular heartbeats increased by 69%, the risk of stroke increased by 52%, and the risk of heart failure increased by 72%.

Professor Lee added, "In conclusion, COVID-19 itself increases the risk of heart disease occurrence and mortality, and Long COVID syndrome is not simply a continuation of COVID symptoms but can be seen as increasing the long-term risk of heart disease and acute cardiac arrest."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.