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COVID Increases Risk Of Heart Issues Up To A Year After Infection, Study Says

BOSTON (CBS) -- A new study finds people who have had COVID-19 can develop heart issues up to a year after the initial infection.

Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis studied the medical records of more than 150,000 people who tested positive for COVID-19. They found those people were more likely to develop cardiovascular conditions up to a year after infection, including abnormal heart rhythms, inflammation of the heart, blood clots, stroke, blocked coronary arteries, heart attacks, and heart failure.

Even people who were previously healthy or only had mild symptoms were also at higher risk. Most of those studied had not yet been vaccinated because vaccines weren't widely available at the time.

People who have been infected are urged to be on the lookout for symptoms that could indicate heart disease, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or palpitations.

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