Warning to Covid survivors as new side effects revealed
Experts have warned Covid survivors of life-threatening complications that could strike after infection. See the list.
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Anyone who has had tested positive for Covid-19 is at risk of future life-threatening complications, according to new research.
London-based researchers now believe the coronavirus impacts the entire body, and not just the respiratory system, with complications striking months after infection.
Researchers at Kings College London said a multi-system condition could cause disease throughout the body, likely by triggering pathways that cause inflammation.
Their study found those who had the infection were at a greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, particularly in the three months following infection.
Experts analysed medical records for more than 428,000 Covid patients, and discovered these patients had an 81 per cent higher chance of being diagnosed with diabetes in the first four weeks after contracting the virus.
This risk further increased by 27 per cent, up to 12 weeks after infection.
The virus was also associated with a six-fold increase in cardiovascular diagnoses overall, due primarily to pulmonary embolisms and irregular heartbeats. This risk began to decline five weeks after infection, returning to baseline levels or lower within 12 weeks to one year.
Lead author Emma Rezel-Potts told The Sun national databases had enabled them to detect the risk of various illnesses.
“Whilst it is in the first four weeks that Covid-19 patients are most at risk of these outcomes, the risk of diabetes mellitus remains increased for at least 12 weeks,” she said.
“Clinical and public health interventions focusing on reducing diabetes risk among those recovering from Covid-19 over the longer-term may be very beneficial.”
Co-author Ajay Shah said particular vigilance should be paid to patients in the first three months after infection.
Meanwhile, a separate study from The Lancet has revealed the concerning impact of long Covid.
The study which involved Chinese patients from Wuhan, found that a year after recovering from the virus, survivors were more likely than those who’d never had Covid, to suffer from mobility problems, pain or discomfort, anxiety and depression.
The study of 1,276 people hospitalised for Covid in the pandemic’s early months revealed that a full year later, almost half continued to report at least one lingering health problem, now considered a symptom of long Covid.
One out of five reported continued fatigue and/or muscle weakness, while 17 per cent said they were still experiencing sleep difficulties. Just over one in four reported suffering anxiety or depression.
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Originally published as Warning to Covid survivors as new side effects revealed
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