“Covid-19 is a disease whose signs disappear in most cases within 2 to 3 weeks“, explains the Health Insurance. However, in some individuals, symptoms can last much longer. This phenomenon is called Covid long. In these cases, people can experience symptoms years after a Covid-19 infection.
It can be muscle aches, fatigue, weakness, or even chest pain, according to a recent American study. Indeed, researchers from Intermountain Health (United States), have discovered in people affected by the virus, high levels of chest pain, six months to a year after infection. The results of the Intermountain study were to be presented at the American College of Cardiology 2023 Scientific Conference in New Orleans, USA, which took place on March 5.
Covid-19: symptoms “well beyond the acute phase of infection”
For this observational study, the researchers followed nearly 150,000 patients, who were separated into three distinct groups:
- The first group included people aged 18 and over who tested positive for Covid-19 and treated on an outpatient basis between March 2020 and the end of December 2021.
- The second group consisted of patients who tested negative for Covid-19.
- Et the third group included patients who consulted for cardiovascular symptoms at Intermountain Health, before the pandemic (between January 1, 2018 and August 31, 2019).
Heidi May, cardiovascular epidemiologist at Intermountain Health and principal investigator of the study, explains: “Many Covid-19 patientsshow symptoms well beyond the acute phase of infection“. So, long after having had the virus, some patients retain sequelae. To these signs, the researchers add chest pain. Indeed, the study reveals significantly higher rates of chest pain in people who have had Covid-19.
Chest pain up to a year after having Covid-19
These symptoms can impact the daily life of the patient and last over time. “Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms that you can feel after I had the coronavirus. Many people present with chest pain after Covid,” the researchers explain. According to experts, chest pain were present in individuals at six-month intervals one year after infection.
Covid-19: could the infection lead to cardiovascular complications?
“Chest pain can be worrisomebut it does not normally pose a risk to your life,” the scientists warn. “Although we did not observe significant rates of major events such as heart attacks or strokes in patients who had a mild initial infection, we found that chest pain were a persistent problemwhich could be the sign of future cardiovascular complications“, explain the researchers. Thus, it is a criterion to be taken into account and to monitor as explained by Dr. May: “At the moment, the symptoms do not necessarily translate into difficult results, but this will need to be reassessed over time“.