Covid's lingering heart effects: What you need to know

Did you know that Covid-19 can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes for up to three years after infection? A recent study found that people who caught Covid in 2020 had twice the risk of major heart events compared to those who didn't test positive. Even more concerning, those hospitalized for Covid had over three times the risk. It's like Covid is having a long-term impact on our hearts that we're just starting to understand. The study, published in a medical journal, looked at records from a huge database called the UK Biobank. Over 11,000 people had a positive Covid test, and nearly 3,000 were hospitalized. They compared these groups with over 222,000 people who didn't have Covid. The results were clear: Covid is a powerful risk factor for heart issues, even after the infection is gone. What's really interesting is that this risk didn't go down over time. It stayed high for almost three years. Doctors are still trying to figure out why Covid has such a lasting effect on our hearts. Some think it might be because the virus can infect blood vessel cells and stick to the plaques that can cause heart attacks and strokes. There's a bit of good news too. People with O-type blood who were hospitalized for Covid had a slightly lower risk than those with other blood types. Also, taking low-dose aspirin seemed to help reduce the risk of heart events in those who were hospitalized for Covid. So, what does this mean for us? If you've had Covid, especially if you were hospitalized, it's important to take care of your heart. That means controlling blood pressure and cholesterol and maybe even taking a daily aspirin. And remember, getting vaccinated can help prevent severe Covid infections and maybe even reduce these heart risks.