Long Covid risk to heart health

Studies show that the risk of having a heart attack in the year after a Covid-19 infection can be double the normal rate, with chances of heart inflammation around five times higher
 
ELEVATED CARDIOVASCULAR RISK
Lower estimate*   Higher estimate* 

Heart attack
Blood flow to heart is blocked
  
Coronary disease
Blood supply interrupted
 
Stroke
Blood to part of brain cut-off
 
Heart failure
Heart fails to circulate blood properly
  
Cardiac arrest
Heart stops beating
  
Atrial fibrillation
Irregular and often very fast heart rate
  
Pulmonary embolism
Clot blocks blood vessel in lungs
  
Myocarditis
Inflammation of heart muscle
  

x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x6
12-month relative risk

                                    
*Data from three studies by JAMA Health Forum, EClinicalMedicine and Nature Medicine

Sources: Bloomberg, NHS, British Heart Foundation
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