Washington
Researchers continue to look into life after COVID when it comes to heart issues following infection and recovery.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released a report on the increased risk for cardiac complications after SARS-CoV-2 infection and mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.
The report focuses on the ongoing risks and adverse health outcomes after a patient has gotten COVID. Findings also touched on the potential risk of heart issues after receiving an mRNA vaccine for the virus from Pfizer and Moderna.
According to the report, cardiac complications, “particularly myocarditis and pericarditis,” have been tied to the coronavirus and mRNA COVID vaccination.
However, findings from 40 health care systems that participated in the report from January 2021 to January 2022 showed that the risk for cardiac complications was significantly higher after the SARS-CoV-2 infection than after an mRNA COVID vaccination.
The report also states that male patients 12-17 years old had the highest risk of developing cardiac conditions after vaccination and infection:
“The incidence of cardiac outcomes after mRNA COVID-19 vaccination was highest for males aged 12–17 years after the second vaccine dose. However, within this demographic group, the risk for cardiac outcomes was 1.8–5.6 times as high after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after the second vaccine dose.”
According to the report, studies from Israel and the United Kingdom have found a higher risk for myocarditis after SARS-CoV-2 infection than after an mRNA COVID-19 vaccination.
Therefore, the CDC noted that the findings support the continued use of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines among all eligible persons.