Cardiovascular Events Up for Individuals Hospitalized With COVID-19

TUESDAY, Oct. 25, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The risk for incident cardiovascular events is increased for individuals hospitalized with COVID-19, according to a study published online Oct. 24 in Heart.

Zahra Raisi-Estabragh, Ph.D., from Queen Mary University of London, and colleagues examined the association of COVID-19 with incident cardiovascular events in 17,871 U.K. Biobank cases between March 2020 and 2021. Each COVID-19 case was propensity score-matched to two uninfected controls. The association of COVID-19 with cardiovascular events was estimated during an average of 141 days of follow-up.

The researchers found that the 14,304 nonhospitalized cases had an increased risk for incident venous thromboembolism (VTE) and death (hazard ratios, 2.74 and 10.23, respectively). Increased risks for all outcomes considered were seen for the 2,701 individuals with primary COVID-19 hospitalization. The effect sizes were largest for VTE, heart failure, and stroke (hazard ratios, 27.6, 21.6, and 17.5, respectively). Similarly increased risks were seen for the 866 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 as a secondary diagnosis. The risks were greatest in the first 30 days after infection but remained elevated versus controls.

"Our results indicate that while COVID-19 exposure is associated with increased risk of incident adverse cardiovascular events, such risks are almost entirely confined to those with disease requiring hospitalization and highest in the early (first 30 days) postinfection period," the authors write.

Two authors disclosed financial ties to the biotechnology industry.

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