Abstract

Introduction: The incidence and persistence of cardiovascular events (CVES) occurring for the first time following COVID-19 is not completely established. Hypothesis: After COVID-19 there is an increased risk of new CVES that may persist several months after the acute infection. Methods: A retrospective claims analysis using the Symphony Health IDV, healthcare database of administrative medical and pharmacy claims for ~ 280 million lives in the USA. Patients with a claim for COVID-19 between April and June 2020 were identified and a sub cohort with new claims for CVES up to 12 months post COVID-19 was analyzed. Patients with prior history of CVES were excluded Results: 17,360 patients without prior history of CVES, age range 18-80 year (average: 55; SD: 16), 46% males and 54% females, experienced various CVES for the first-time post COVID-19. Specifically, a sub-cohort of 6,545 (38%) hospitalized patients experienced congestive heart failure (CHF) (18% ); myocardial infarction (MI) (36% ); stroke (54%);Arrythmias (54%); pulmonary embolism (15%) and peripheral arterial thrombosis (1%). Cardiomyopathy/myocarditis was reported in 253 patients. Of the new events, 25% of acute CHF, 46% of acute MI and 31% of acute stroke occurred within 28 days of hospitalization for COVID-19. The hazard of CVES peaked within 1 month from the onset of the infection and persisted up to 12 months after hospitalization. Highest residual risk factors were CHF, pericarditis, and myocarditis. Machine Learning analysis identified hypertension and COPD as strong predictors of new CVES post Covid-19. Conclusions: The occurrence of new CVES in survivors of COVID-19 is substantial. A deeper understanding of the biologic mechanisms triggering new cardiovascular disease after COVID-19 infection is needed to design interventions directed at preventing the incidence and persistence of new CVES post COVID-19 infection.

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