Regular Covid vaccinations needed to reduce cardiac risks
Regular Covid vaccinations are needed to reduce cardiac risks associated with the virus, experts at the European Cardiology Society have concluded.
Cardiovascular complications are common after Covid, a consensus statement has noted, including inflammatory heart conditions in the acute phase of the illness as well as increased risk of heart attack, stroke and deep vein thrombosis.
But such complications can last for months and patients with long Covid report breathlessness, arrhythmias, heart failure, autonomic dysfunction, dizziness and fatigue, the report said.
And pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors can frequently exacerbate the severity of Covid-19 underlining the importance of prevention, it added.
The report from a consensus panel led by Professor Vassilios Vassiliou from the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital said Covid had a ‘profound and lasting impact’ on cardiovascular health.
In addition to setting out the importance of vaccination, it makes several recommendations for diagnosing, treating and preventing serious heart and blood vessel complications linked to the virus.
This includes structured cardiac rehabilitation – to prevent long-term problems after infection and boost long Covid recovery.
Professor Vassiliou said: ‘Millions of people around the world are suffering with serious cardiovascular problems caused by Covid infection and long Covid.
‘A lack of clear evidence-based guidance on how to reduce this suffering and prevent further harm means that patients are not receiving the care they need, and some are turning to unproven or unsafe treatments.
‘We wanted to change that.’
A review of the research done by the panel reiterated that Covid patients, especially those who needed hospital treatment, have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke and death from cardiovascular disease.
Early and proactive cardiovascular prevention is essential to mitigate these risks and improve clinical outcomes, the report recommends, including lifestyle modification and addressing other risk factors.
Structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes, including specialised physiotherapy, should also be offered to prevent longer term problems from developing following infection and to aid recovery from long Covid, it said.
But across Europe there is not enough capacity to offer such programmes to everyone who would benefit.
Professor Vassiliou added: ‘If you already have heart disease, Covid raises your risk of serious complications both immediately and long after infection. In both cases, rehabilitation can protect your heart and support recovery.
‘Our report provides unified, practical recommendations for prevention, rehabilitation, and long-term care, while also identifying critical research gaps to ensure strategies continue to evolve with emerging evidence.’
‘Unfortunately, even now, cardiac long Covid continues to affect the quality of life for many patients. We need to ensure patients have equitable access to rehabilitation services, support primary prevention through vaccination and lifestyle programmes, and fund research into long Covid and cardiovascular outcomes.’
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