They discovered that people who had Covid had a greater risk of pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot that blocks arteries in the lungs, up to 6 months after infection.
Covid raises the risk of blood clots for up to 6 months, according to a new study.
People who have had Covid-19 have a greater chance of having significant blood clots for up to six months after infection, even in moderate cases, according to a study published Thursday.
Previous research has shown that Covid increases the risk of blood clots, but the latest study published in the BMJ medical journal demonstrates how long the risk can last.
To find out, researchers analysed data from over a million persons in Sweden's national registries who contracted Covid between February 2020 and May 2021 to a control group of over four million people who did not test positive.
They discovered that people who had Covid had a greater risk of pulmonary embolism, which is a blood clot that plugs arteries in the lungs, up to six months after infection.
There was also an elevated risk of deep vein thrombosis (a blood clot that usually occurs in the legs) up to three months after contracting Covid.
After controlling for a variety of covariates, they discovered a 33-fold increase in the risk of pulmonary embolism in individuals who used Covid, as well as a five-fold increase in the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
The study discovered that people who experienced severe Covid symptoms and those who had pre-existing diseases were more at risk.
Even patients with mild cases who did not require hospitalisation were at a greater risk of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis.
Clotting was more likely during the first wave of the pandemic than subsequent stages, according to the researchers, who attributed this to increased vaccine coverage and improved treatments over time.
The researchers stated that their findings had "important policy implications," urging additional treatment to prevent blood clots from forming, especially in high-risk instances.
They also emphasised the necessity of getting vaccinated as a result of their findings.
