Fresh Covid warning as new health risks found with certain people most at risk
Worrying new research has suggested that coronavirus could increase the likelihood of serious health conditions - and women are most at risk. According to a new study published in the European Heart Journal, Covid could prematurely age blood vessels by five years, putting people at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Those who have been vaccinated against the deadly virus have a lower risk of arterial stiffening and demonstrated stabilised symptoms over time, compared to those unprotected against Covid.
The study tested nearly 2,500 people globally, categorising them based on whether they had contracted Covid and noting the severity of their infection.
Tests were carried out six months post-infection and then again after 12 months, reports the Express.
The test evaluated each individual's vascular age using a device that measures the speed of a pulse wave from the neck artery to the leg arteries. A quicker wave speed indicates stiffer blood vessels, equating to an older vascular age.
It was found that all three groups of patients who had contracted Covid had stiffer arteries compared to those unaffected.
And among those people who had caught coronavirus, the individuals who had been vaccinated had less stiff arteries, suggesting the jab helps lower the impact of ageing blood vessels.
Lead researcher Professor Rosa Maria Bruno, from Université Paris Cité, stated: "We know that Covid can directly affect blood vessels.
"We believe that this may result in what we call early vascular ageing, meaning that your blood vessels are older than your chronological age and you are more susceptible to heart disease.
"If that is happening, we need to identify who is at risk at an early stage to prevent heart attacks and strokes."
Bruno suggests that the disparity between men and women could be due to differences in immune systems.
She explained that women tend to have a more robust and swift immune response, which can shield them from infection. However, this same response can also harm blood vessels following the initial infection.
And that would mean that the strong immune response was a bit of a double-edged sword when it comes to the new research, with women at higher risk of ageing blood vessels.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has reported an increase in hospital patients with respiratory symptoms testing positive for the virus, rising from 5.8 per cent on July 26 to 7.6 per cent on August 10.
Last month saw the spread of a new Covid variant known as the Stratus across the UK, accounting for the largest percentage of cases - roughly 30 per cent. Experts have noted that this new strain resists immunity and presents a unique symptom of a hoarse voice.
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