Strokes, Heart Attacks, Sudden Death: Does America Understand the Long-Term Risk of COVID?

The exact etiology of all these cases cannot be confirmed. But all the people I mentioned had a history of COVID days or months earlier, and all had only mild cases of infection at that point.

Is it possible that we are still underestimating the scope and danger of COVID despite all we know? is not normal for Not normal at all.

long socializing media thread Have has begun compiling a list of people like the one above.While there are many possible causes for their health ills, the sheer volume of cases speaks to more of a concern than just a problem. I’m here. twitter phenomenon.

A large international study involving 136 laboratories in 32 countries documented an increased incidence of ischemia. stroke in a young patient compared to pre-pandemic levels.is more than One third They were under the age of 55 and many lacked typical risk factors such as smoking, diabetes and hypertension.

Is it because of COVID?

A study of patients in the first wave of the pandemic found that University of Florida Survivors of severe COVID-19 were found to be 2.5 times more likely to die in the year following the illness compared to those who were not infected. Of note, nearly 80% of downstream deaths were not due to typical Covid complications such as acute respiratory distress or cardiac causes.

“The results suggest that the severe impact of COVID-19 exists beyond the cost and suffering of initial hospitalization,” said Arch Mainous, one of the study’s authors.

How Vaccinated Patients Have Lived

Huge analysis Of more than 30,000 vaccinated patients, scientists who experienced a breakthrough infection of COVID (pre-Omicron) found that six months later, even vaccinated patients were at risk of death. High and multiple organs (lung, heart, kidney, when compared to controls without evidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Even the fittest have no immunity. Researchers are noting a troubling pattern of sudden cardiac deaths in athletes as a result of the pandemic, possibly due to COVID-related heart complications myocarditis and pericarditis, Arizona. Football lineman JJ Watt recently atrial fibrillation AFib can have many causes, but it’s worth noting that Watt has just been diagnosed with COVID-19. 6 weeks Previous.Atrial fibrillation has long related with COVID.

COVID reinfection

without peer review study, Ziyad Al-Ali and his team at the University of Washington School of Medicine analyzed the health records of 38,000 people who were reinfected with COVID. Compared to single-infected individuals, researchers found that these re-infected individuals were at increased risk of death, hospitalization, and adverse health effects across multiple organs.

These risks were present regardless of vaccination status. All infections increased the risk of both acute and long-term complications.

We are still learning how pervasive all of this is.Ann analysis of over 150,000 COVID-19 survivors announced at natural medicine People infected with coronavirus have been found to be at increased risk of developing neurological sequelae, including stroke, cognitive and memory problems, seizures, movement disorders, and many other problems, within a year of infection. The risk of developing these long-term complications was evident even in those who did not require hospitalization at the time of initial infection.

“The results show the severe long-term effects of COVID-19,” Al-Aly told me. “Some of these will hurt people for the rest of their lives.”

Researchers estimate that COVID is responsible for over 40 million new neurological disorders. Important note: Study periods were mostly pre-vaccine. But Al-Aly said, “Vaccines are minimal and we know he in the long run will not eliminate the Covid risk.”In fact, according to a large study, the vaccine is about 15% Effective in preventing long COVID.

No age group is absolutely safe

Importantly, the risk of some of these complications is stronger in young adults.On the other end of the spectrum, a large study found that COVID-19 reduced the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in people over the age of 65. 50% to 80%– And it was people who had no previous diagnosis.

Researchers believe that COVID-19 infection may induce a prothrombotic and proinflammatory state, increasing the risk of blood clots.in cohort study Among the just-released 48 million adults in England and Wales, COVID-19 is causing a dramatic increase in both arterial thrombosis (causing strokes and heart attacks) and venous thromboembolism (blood clots in lungs, legs, etc.) was associated with

Clearly we are still under the rule of the virus and some of the consequences are terrifying. study In this study, which included data from more than 1 million pediatric patients, adolescents under the age of 18 72% Increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes within 6 months of COVID infection. That risk is not limited to children.It has been seen of adultthat too.

Nightmare scenario? Her mild case of COVID leading to lifelong diabetes.But rather than continue to call for vigilance, most cities, governments and even CDC We are easing restrictions when it comes to COVID precautions.

America needs to wake up now. According to a recent Kaiser Family Foundation study, two-thirds of U.S. adults aren’t going to get the latest booster shots any time soon, but breakthrough infections and more are rampant immune escape variant on the horizon.

Yunlong Richard Cao, an immunologist at Peking University in Beijing, told Nature a few days ago. In a non-peer-reviewed preprint, Cao et al. found that new subvariants such as BQ.1.1, CA.1, and especially he XBB, were the most antibody-evading strains to date. “These results suggest that current herd immunity and BA.5 vaccine boosters may not provide sufficiently broad protection against infection,” they wrote.

in our country, 300-400 COVID deaths has already happened every day. Cases are increasing in some European countries, such as France, Germany, Italy, Belgium“We are clearly at the start of winter [COVID-19] wave,” Said German Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach at a press conference.Germany has just introduced new rule Masks are compulsory on trains, buses, hospitals, nursing homes and clinics.

Until we can develop a variant-proof vaccine, approve a nasal vaccine that can help block infection at entry points and reduce transmission, and develop better treatments, the road ahead will be bleak. As the virus becomes more immune evasive, our arsenal is shrinking, not expanding, no matter what the CDC or political leaders claim. For example, monoclonal antibody strategies proved ineffective as viruses continued to outsmart us and evolve, making many monoclonal therapies rapidly obsolete shortly after they were approved.

While much remains to be understood about COVID over the long haul, especially in vaccinated populations, Al-Aly estimates: 8% to 12% The number of people who get vaccinated and get breakthrough infections are likely to die as COVID lingers.around the world, estimated 145 million People suffer from this condition and the cases are 300% 2021 years.

We will prevent outbreaks and reinfections, expedite research, fund new treatments for victims, adjusted Compatible with both domestic and overseas. Manufacturing universal coronavirus and nasal vaccines and medicines to minimize long-term Covid risks is a top priority. As Al-Aly puts it, “We need ambitious policies to stay ahead of this virus and pandemic.”

As a country, it is clear that we are sick and tired of masking, boosting and COVIDing in general. But the march is already exhausting and we are far from the finish line. We have to stop pretending it isn’t.

Carolyn Barber, M.D. Worked as an emergency department doctor for 25 years.book author Runaway Medicine: What You Don’t Know Might Kill Youshe has written extensively on COVID-19 for national publications, including: luckBarber is the co-founder of a California-based homeless work program. circle of change.

Opinions expressed in commentary articles on Fortune.com are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or beliefs of the authors. luck.

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