People with long COVID face a significantly higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, even if they were not hospitalised during their initial infection, according to a study from Karolinska Institutet published in eClinicalMedicine
The research analysed data from over 1.2 million people aged 18 to 65, of whom approximately 9,000 (0.7%) had been diagnosed with long COVID. Individuals with prior cardiovascular disease or COVID-19 hospitalisation were excluded. Two-thirds of those with long COVID were women.
During a follow-up period of approximately four years, cardiovascular events occurred more frequently in the long COVID group. Among those with the condition, 18.2% of women and 20.6% of men experienced some form of cardiovascular event, compared with 8.4% of women and 11.1% of men without long COVID.
After adjusting for age, socioeconomic status, and other known risk factors, the differences remained significant. Women with long COVID had approximately twice the risk of receiving a cardiovascular diagnosis compared to women without the condition, whilst men had roughly a third higher risk.
Cardiac arrhythmias and coronary artery disease were more common among both sexes with long COVID. Women also showed increased risk of heart failure and peripheral vascular disease. However, no clear association was found between long COVID and stroke.
Lead author Pia Lindberg, a PhD student at Karolinska Institutet, noted that as many people with long COVID never required hospitalisation during acute infection, secondary conditions may be missed. The findings suggest these patients may benefit from more systematic monitoring, particularly given that cardiovascular disease in women often presents with diffuse symptoms that complicate diagnosis.
Source: Medical Xpress / Karolinska Institutet (eClinicalMedicine, 2026)
The research analysed data from over 1.2 million people aged 18 to 65, of whom approximately 9,000 (0.7%) had been diagnosed with long COVID. Individuals with prior cardiovascular disease or COVID-19 hospitalisation were excluded. Two-thirds of those with long COVID were women.
During a follow-up period of approximately four years, cardiovascular events occurred more frequently in the long COVID group. Among those with the condition, 18.2% of women and 20.6% of men experienced some form of cardiovascular event, compared with 8.4% of women and 11.1% of men without long COVID.
After adjusting for age, socioeconomic status, and other known risk factors, the differences remained significant. Women with long COVID had approximately twice the risk of receiving a cardiovascular diagnosis compared to women without the condition, whilst men had roughly a third higher risk.
Cardiac arrhythmias and coronary artery disease were more common among both sexes with long COVID. Women also showed increased risk of heart failure and peripheral vascular disease. However, no clear association was found between long COVID and stroke.
Lead author Pia Lindberg, a PhD student at Karolinska Institutet, noted that as many people with long COVID never required hospitalisation during acute infection, secondary conditions may be missed. The findings suggest these patients may benefit from more systematic monitoring, particularly given that cardiovascular disease in women often presents with diffuse symptoms that complicate diagnosis.
Source: Medical Xpress / Karolinska Institutet (eClinicalMedicine, 2026)
