Cardiovascular Risk from Long COVID / Post-COVID: What Patients Need to Know

The pandemic may have faded from the news, but its impact on heart health continues to unfold.
 Recent medical research has revealed an important truth: COVID-19 can leave behind silent, long-term effects on the cardiovascular system, even in people who had only mild symptoms.

At NYMVCare, we’ve seen patients months after infection still experiencing shortness of breath, chest tightness, or irregular heartbeat—symptoms often linked to inflammation or damage affecting the heart and blood vessels.
 Here’s what current evidence shows, why it happens, and what every patient should know.

🫀 The Connection Between COVID-19 and the Heart

While COVID-19 begins as a respiratory infection, it can quickly become a vascular disease, meaning it affects blood vessels throughout the body.
 The SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to ACE-2 receptors found not only in the lungs but also in the heart and arteries, triggering widespread inflammation known as endothelial dysfunction.

That inflammation can:

  • Weaken heart muscle (causing myocarditis)
  • Disturb normal heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
  • Encourage blood clots to form in veins or arteries
  • Worsen existing conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes

These effects may persist long after the infection clears—this is what doctors now call post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), or more commonly, Long COVID.

What the Research Reveals

Several large studies have confirmed a significant increase in cardiovascular complications among people who had COVID-19:

  • Heart attack and stroke: A Nature Medicine 2025 study found that individuals recovering from COVID-19 had a 63% higher risk of heart attack and a 52% higher risk of stroke within the following year.
  • Heart failure: Post-COVID patients showed up to a 70% higher likelihood of developing heart failure compared with non-infected individuals.
  • Arrhythmias: Disturbances in electrical signaling, such as atrial fibrillation, were observed in both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients.
  • Clotting and vascular injury: Many long-COVID patients experience lingering inflammation that promotes clot formation in deep veins and lungs.

What’s striking is that these risks aren’t limited to severe cases. Even people who had mild or asymptomatic infections can develop post-COVID cardiovascular changes, sometimes months after recovery.

Common Post-COVID Heart Symptoms

If you’ve had COVID-19, keep an eye out for these symptoms in the months that follow:

  • Chest pain or heaviness
  • Shortness of breath, especially with mild exertion
  • Racing, fluttering, or irregular heartbeat
  • Fatigue or exercise intolerance
  • Dizziness or fainting spells
  • Swelling in the legs or feet

These signs don’t always mean serious heart disease, but they do warrant medical evaluation—especially if they persist or worsen over time.

Why It Happens: Inflammation, Clotting, and Nerve Effects

  1. Inflammation:
     COVID triggers a powerful immune response that can inflame heart muscle and blood vessels. This inflammation may linger, leading to ongoing symptoms or long-term scarring.
  2. Microclots:
     Tiny, persistent clots may block small blood vessels, limiting oxygen delivery to tissues and the heart. This is thought to contribute to chronic fatigue and chest discomfort.
  3. Autonomic imbalance:
     Some long-COVID patients develop dysautonomia, where the body’s automatic control of heart rate and blood pressure becomes unstable—causing dizziness, rapid heartbeat, or fatigue.
  4. Accelerated aging of the vascular system:
     Inflammation and clotting can stiffen arteries and accelerate plaque buildup, raising future risk of heart attack and stroke even years later.

 Screening and Diagnosis

Early detection is key to preventing serious complications.
 At NYMVCare, our cardiology and vascular specialists offer comprehensive testing designed to uncover subtle post-COVID heart changes:

  • Echocardiogram: Evaluates heart structure, pumping strength, and inflammation.
  • Nuclear stress test: Measures blood flow to detect hidden blockages.
  • Electrocardiogram (ECG): Identifies rhythm abnormalities.
  • Holter or event monitoring: Tracks heartbeat over 24–48 hours for irregularities.
  • Vascular ultrasound: Detects clots or reduced blood flow in veins and arteries.

These tests are non-invasive and can provide clear answers for patients experiencing lingering post-COVID symptoms.

Managing and Reducing Risk

While research on long-term outcomes is ongoing, the same principles that protect heart health in general are essential after COVID:

  1. Schedule a post-COVID heart checkup within a few months of recovery—especially if symptoms persist.
  2. Monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar regularly. COVID can worsen all three.
  3. Adopt a heart-healthy lifestyle:

    • Eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
    • Limit salt, sugar, and processed foods.
    • Stay physically active—but start slow and increase intensity gradually.
  4. Avoid smoking and alcohol, which can worsen inflammation.
  5. Stay hydrated and manage stress with breathing or mindfulness exercises.

For patients who already have high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease, strict management of these conditions is more important than ever post-COVID.

🧍‍♀️ Who Should Be Screened

You should consider a post-COVID cardiovascular evaluation if you:

  • Were hospitalized or required oxygen during infection
  • Have lingering fatigue, chest pain, or shortness of breath
  • Have a history of heart disease, diabetes, or hypertension
  • Notice new or worsening swelling, dizziness, or heart palpitations
  • Plan to return to strenuous exercise or work after COVID

Even if you feel mostly recovered, these screenings provide peace of mind and ensure no silent issues are developing.

NYMVCare’s Role in Post-COVID Cardiac Care

At NYMVCare, our multidisciplinary approach ensures that every patient gets the attention they need.
 We combine cardiology, vascular imaging, and preventive care to identify and treat post-COVID complications early.

Our services include:

  • Cardiology consultations for symptom evaluation and management
  • Echocardiograms and nuclear stress tests to assess heart function
  • Vascular ultrasounds for blood-flow assessment and clot detection
  • Preventive wellness visits to track blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes

Our goal is to restore confidence and health by helping patients understand their cardiovascular status and take proactive steps toward recovery.

When to Seek Urgent Care

Call your doctor—or go to the emergency room—if you experience:

  • Sudden chest pain or pressure
  • Fainting or severe dizziness
  • New or worsening shortness of breath
  • Rapid or irregular heartbeat that doesn’t settle
  • Swelling in one leg with pain or redness (possible clot)

Prompt attention can be lifesaving.

The Takeaway

COVID-19 may be fading, but its cardiovascular legacy is real. The good news: awareness and early screening can make all the difference.
 By taking your heart health seriously—especially after a COVID infection—you can prevent long-term complications and protect your quality of life.

Don’t wait for symptoms to worsen. Book your cardiovascular evaluation with NYMVCare today, and take the next step toward a healthier heart.

📍 Local NYMVCare Callout

Our NYMVCare Cardiology Clinic in Brooklyn has seen an increase in post-COVID patients experiencing chest tightness, fatigue, or palpitations. We provide full cardiovascular screenings—including echocardiograms and vascular ultrasounds—to detect silent inflammation or clotting before they become serious.

✅ Next Steps / Book Now

If you’ve had COVID-19 in the past year and notice heart-related symptoms, book a post-COVID cardiovascular evaluation at NYMVCare. Early testing protects your long-term heart and vascular health.

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