Do Covid-19 vaccines affect the heart? What the doctors say

“Recent data suggest that precedent COVID-19 may increase the risk of many cardiovascular disease (CVD) entities to an extent similar to that seen for traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors,” the researchers wrote.

How Covid Vaccines Affect Heart Health

Dr. Rakesh Rai Sapra, Director and Senior Consultant Cardiology, Marengo QRG Hospital, Faridabad, said COVID infection can affect the heart or blood vessels in the following ways:

1) Covid infection increases the tendency for blood to clot, which increases the risk of all diseases resulting from the development of blood clots such as heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis or peripheral arterial thrombosis . But this risk is not a lifelong risk. This risk exists mainly during COVID infection and for a certain period (1-2 months) after infection. This is why blood thinners are prescribed during this time to minimize the risk.

2) Weakening of the heart muscle due to inflammation of the heart known as myocarditis which can lead to features of heart failure.

3) Increased tendencies to abnormal heart rhythms called arrhythmias. It could be an abnormal reduction in heartbeat or an abnormal type of rapid heartbeat. It could be a new irregularity or an exacerbation of a pre-existing abnormality.

The association of heart disease, particularly myocarditis, with the COVID vaccine is still being evaluated. There has been some evidence of this association, particularly in young people after the second dose of vaccine, but this risk is small overall compared to the potential benefits of vaccination, he added.

Stroke is no longer considered a disease of the elderly. We have witnessed many young people having strokes in the 3rd to 5th decade of their lives. This trend has been increasingly seen since the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the entire world, Dr. Sharath Reddy Annam said.

It has been known that covid and Covishield (AstraZeneca vaccine for Covid-19) are associated with an increasing tendency for clotting leading to occlusion of arteries or veins.

Dr. Sharath Reddy Annam is Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Director of Catheterization Laboratory, Director of CTO and Complex Coronary Interventions, TAVR and Structural Cardiac Interventions, Medicover Hospitals

Reasons for the increase in strokes after Covid-19

According to Dr Sharath, the reasons for the increase in strokes after Covid-19 are not completely understood, but are thought to be due to the pleotropic effects of increased inflammation, thrombosis and also lesions. endothelial.

“Myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart, is a common occurrence in Covid patients because the virus can damage heart muscle tissue and the heart becomes inflamed indirectly through the body’s immune system response,” said Dr. Deepak Shejol, Cardiologist, Zynova Shalby Hospitals

Covishield, was even “worse” in terms of cardiovascular effects

Recently, the eminent Anglo-Indian cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra said that the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, administered in India as Covishield, was even “worse” in terms of cardiovascular effects, heart attacks and strokes.

Dr Malhotra, who demanded a full review of the safety of AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine use, told PTI that Covishield “should never have been rolled out in the country in the first place”.

Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin and Heart Health

“The data I’ve seen so far doesn’t suggest that Covaxin has any significant effects, and (it) appears to be safe. But of course when other vaccines are investigated, we also need to look Covaxin,” the British-Indian cardiologist said. Dr. Aseem Malhotra, reports PTI.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said last year that the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was “safe and effective for all people aged 18 and over”.