Patients who contract Covid-19 face a higher risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, particularly in the three months following infection, according to a new study.
Scientists are increasingly recognising Covid-19 as a multi-system condition that can cause disease throughout the body, likely by triggering pathways that cause inflammation.
Researchers from the King's College London, UK, analysed anonymised medical records from more than 428,000 Covid patients, and the same number of control individuals, to probe whether Covid patients developed new cases of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases at higher rates than those who have never had the disease in the year following infection.
The analysis, published in the open access journal PLOS Medicine, showed that Covid patients had 81 per cent more diagnoses of diabetes in the first four weeks after contracting the virus and that their risk remained elevated by 27 per cent for up to 12 weeks after infection.
Covid was also associated with a six-fold increase in cardiovascular diagnoses overall, mainly due to the development of pulmonary embolism (blood clots in the lungs) and irregular heartbeat. The risk of a new heart disease diagnosis began to decline five weeks after infection and returned to baseline levels or lower within 12 weeks to one year.
However, the researchers also noted that Covid infection is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disorders and diabetes, but fortunately, there does not appear to be a long-term increase in the incidence of these conditions for patients who have contracted the virus.
Based on these findings, the team recommends that doctors advise their patients who are recovering from Covid to reduce their risk of diabetes through a healthy diet and exercise.
"The information provided by this very large population-based study on the longer-term effects of Covid-19 on development of cardiovascular conditions and diabetes will be extremely valuable to doctors managing the millions of people who have had Covid-19 by now. It is clear that particular vigilance is required for at least the first 3 months after Covid-19,a said co-author Ajay Shah from the varsity.
Manipur: Gun battle breaks out among village volunteers of rival groups
Police said that several armed cadres of village volunteers opened indiscriminate fire on Koutruk village in the periphery of Imphal Valley from the adjoining hills in Kangpokpi district, and the armed village volunteers of rival ethnic groups retaliated.
2 CRPF personnel killed in attack by armed group in Manipur
Two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including a Sub Inspector, were killed and two others have been injured after armed groups attacked a camp of security forces in Manipur’s Bishnupur district early on Saturday, police said.
New immunotherapy to fight cancer, keep healthy cells safe
A team of US researchers has developed a new immunotherapy technique that uses cytokine proteins as a potential treatment, effectively targeting tumours without causing harm to healthy cells.
Tripura records highest 79.83 pc voter turnout in Northeast
Tripura witnessed around 79.83 per cent voter turnout registered till 5 p.m. in the Tripura West Lok Sabha seat on Friday in the first of the seven-phased general polls, as per the data provided by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Amid sporadic incidents of violence, Manipur's two LS seats record 68 per cent voting
Amidst stray incidents of violence, including vandalisation of polling booths, firing, and clashes, around 68 per cent of 15.44 lakh voters cast their votes in two Lok Sabha seats (one partially) in ethnic violence-hit Manipur on Friday, officials said.
Why excess sugar, oil are as dangerous for liver as alcohol
While alcohol is known to be bad for liver health, consuming foods rich in sugar and oil may be equally dangerous for the organ as well as for overall health, said doctors on Thursday, ahead of World Liver Day.
Congress in Tripura blocks rail stations to protest police fired-killing of 5 farmers in MP
The firing on Tuesday came during raucous protests to demand better crop prices in the drought-ravaged region that saw one farmer suicide every five hours in the past two years.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.