COVID-19 linked to increased risk of blood clots months later, study finds – CTV
April 7, 2022
A new study out of Sweden has found that those who contract COVID-19 have an increased risk of certain types of blood clots, which can be fatal, up to six months after infection.
The observational study, published Thursday in the British Medical Journal, reports an increased risk of deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the leg, up to three months after COVID-19 infection; pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung, up to six months later and a “bleeding event” up to two months.
According to researchers from Umea University, these events were higher in patients with underlying health conditions and those with more severe COVID-19.
Researchers also found there were more blood clot-related events reported during the first pandemic wave, compared with the second and third waves. However, they note this could be due to improvements in treatment and vaccine coverage in older patients following the pandemic’s first wave.
