Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

The wide-ranging effects of Long COVID and the associated issues for healthcare providers have been revealed in a new review of the major studies into the condition, which specifically highlights the impact of Long COVID on the cardiovascular system.

Coronavirus illustration

The review, published in the European Heart Journal, was conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford, the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Royal Brompton Hospital and Imperial College, London, and the University of Zurich, Switzerland.

The review spans each step from a patient’s original coronavirus infection and the direct impacts, such as myocardial infarction or inflammatory myocarditis, to the long-term impacts on aspects of wellbeing such as mental health and fatigue.

The researchers also concluded that current evidence for the treatment of long COVID is lacking and that our current understanding of pathophysiological mechanisms and treatment options remains limited. They also found that the vast inequalities in healthcare provision exposed by COVID-19 continue to be magnified by long COVID, a problem that calls for global humanitarian efforts to promote and fund equitable access to healthcare, social and welfare support, and vaccines across the world.

Read the full story on the University of Oxford website