Covid-19 could lead to more heart attacks

New Delhi:Researchers have discovered that heart attack patients who suffered from Covid-19 had a significant amount of clotting in their arteries both before and after intervention.

Importantly, clots were seen in multiple arteries in close to 30 per cent of patients, a phenomenon observed in less than five per cent of patients with heart attacks who do not have Covid-19, according to the analysis by The North American Covid-19 STEMI (NACMI).

ST-elevated myocardial infarction or STEMI type of heart attack is caused by the sudden, total blockage of a coronary artery. Previous NACMI research has shown that mortality jumps to 20 per cent to 25 per cent in patients who present with Covid-19 and a heart attack.

"Covid-19 is a pro-inflammatory, clot-forming disease and we now see its effect in the coronary arteries," said Payam Dehghani, Co-Director of Prairie Vascular Research Inc and Associate Professor at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. "These new insights point to the need for clinicians to be meticulous with blood thinning strategies, early interventions and patient follow-up," Dehghani added.

For the study, angiograms of 234 patients from 17 sites (12 US, 5 Canada) were analysed. Researchers note that further investigation is needed to better understand the impact of Covid-19 and heart attacks related vaccination as well as long-term outcomes. The findings were presented at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2023 Scientific Sessions.