Omicron, the side effects of the virus could have a significant impact on people’s health. Especially with regards to heart-related diseases. This is what emerges from a study coordinated by researchers from the University of Leeds, published in the European Heart Journal.
The studies showed that during the pandemic there was a drop in hospitalizations for cardiovascular causes (hospitalizations for heart attacks decreased from 22 to 34%). And this has resulted in a worsening of health conditions and a increased mortality: increased risk of heart attack. Let’s go into detail.
Omicron, increases the risk of heart attack
According to a large-scale survey conducted by researchers from the University of Leeds and published inEuropean Heart Journal, the effects of the virus will also have an impact on people’s health in the coming years. Especially with regards to heart-related diseases. There could be an increase in the number of heart attacks.
The scholars analyzed data from 189 studies published in 48 countries on access to cardiology services since December 2019. Hospitals reported a 22% drop in hospitalizations for people with a severe heart attack in which one of the arteries that serve the heart is completely blocked. Not only. The number of patients hospitalized with a less severe form of heart attack dropped by 34%, in which an artery is partially blocked. The decrease in hospitalizations is not due to fewer heart attacks, but to a reduction in the number of people who go to hospital to be treated. The decline has been seen worldwide, but is greatest in low- and middle-income countries.
Heart attack, waiting times get longer
Research has shown that, on average from the onset of symptoms, it takes patients 69 minutes longer to get medical help for severe heart attack. The standard treatment for many heart attack patients is to insert a stent into a blocked artery.
A significant decline in these procedures has been found in many low- and middle-income countries. Procedures that occur in only 73% of severe heart attack cases and 69% of less severe heart attack cases. We therefore moved on to treating patients with anticoagulant drugs. Worldwide, there was a 34% decrease in heart operations.
Omicron Symptoms 4 and 5, Andreoni’s position
In an interview with Money.it, the head of Infectious Disease of Tor Vergata Massimo Andreoni he explained what they are now, with the new ones sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5, the symptoms to keep under control: «Omicron has been characterized by numerous mutations and this makes us understand that we will have further subvariants. An attempt has been made to define the symptoms of each, but there is no such clear-cut differentiation. Certainly there were more and less present symptoms. At the beginning of the pandemic, loss of taste and smell prevailed, while Omicron mainly affects the very upper respiratory tract. So the most frequent symptoms are sore throat and cold. There is less involvement of the lower respiratory tract».