Study: Covid-19 patients have higher risk of dying after cardiac arrest
By: Team Ifairer | Posted: 05-02-2021
Heart It
Covid-19 patients who suffer a cardiac arrest either in or out of hospital are far more likely to die than those who are not infected with the novel coronavirus, according to a study published on Friday which found that women, in particular, have the highest risk. The research from Sweden found that women infected with the Covid-19 virus are nine times more likely to die as compared to men after suffering a cardiac arrest in hospital.
The study, published in the European Heart Journal, included 1,946 people who suffered a cardiac arrest out of hospital (OHCA) and 1,080 who suffered one in hospital (IHCA) between January 1 and July 20, last year. The researchers from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, noted that during the pandemic phase of the study, Covid-19 was involved in at least 10 per cent of all OHCAs and 16 per cent of IHCAs.
Covid-19 patients who had an OHCA had a 3.4-fold increased risk of dying within 30 days, while IHCA patients had a 2.3-fold increased risk of dying within 30 days, they said. "Our study clearly shows that cardiac arrest and Covid-19 is a very lethal combination,” said the first author of the study, Pedram Sultanian, a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.
"Patients with the coronavirus should be monitored intensively and measures are taken to prevent cardiac arrest, for instance with the use of continuous heart monitors for patients at high risk," Sultanian sad. When the researchers compared pre-pandemic cases with Covid-19 cases, they found that the overall risk of dying following an OHCA nearly tripled. It was increased 4.5-fold for men and by a third for women, they said.