COVID-19 infection associated with elevated stroke risks!

After a Covid-19 infection most people recover completely within a couple of weeks. However, a few people can develop severe symptoms  e.g. pneumonia and may also suffer from a stroke.

It has been discovered that Covid-19 represents an elevated risk for stroke. First studies suggest that neurological symptoms may develop. The reason could be that the inner walls of blood vessels develop inflammation which might play a role in developing a stroke.

It has been suggested for a long time already that influenza viruses might trigger the occurrence of stroke. A new study has now shown that such a risk is even higher in a COVID-19 infection.

The results in this study demonstrated a much higher stroke occurrence in COVID-19 patients compared to patients with a flu (1.6% versus 0.2%). COVID 19 also triggered more severe strokes. Furthermore, the mortality rate in COVID-19 patients who developed a stroke was 4 times as high as in a “normal” stroke patient and the post-stroke complications were also much more severe.

Therefore: protect yourself from Covid-19. The current measures for protection can be found here.