Croatian study links post-COVID complications to cardiovascular risks

A study conducted by researchers from the University of Rijeka Faculty of Medicine has identified potential cardiovascular consequences following COVID-19 infections. Published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, the research analyzed 1,423 patients, including 1,172 with a documented history of COVID-19.

The study found that 2.9% of the surveyed patients received a new cardiovascular diagnosis post-infection. While researchers noted this figure is illustrative and not a national epidemiological estimate, if applied to Croatia's million recorded recoveries, it could represent approximately 29,000 individuals. Other reported post-COVID issues included brain fog in 4.9% of subjects, new neurological diseases in 4.7%, and breathing difficulties in 2.8%.

Dr. Valentin Stuhne, director of the Sursum Corda Polyclinic, warned that symptoms such as palpitations, high blood pressure, fatigue, and shortness of breath should not be automatically attributed to stress. The study also highlighted that patients with existing chronic illnesses or arterial hypertension faced more than triple the risk of developing post-COVID cardiovascular issues. Researchers cautioned that the study design cannot establish a direct causal link and that the sample is not representative of the entire Croatian population.