Study Finds No Increased Heart Attack Risk Linked To COVID-19 Vaccination

New Delhi, September 5 (TNA) A recent study conducted at GB Pant Hospital in the union capital has found that COVID-19 vaccinations, including Covishield and Covaxin, were not associated with an increased risk of heart attacks. The study aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on mortality following acute myocardial infarction (AMI or heart attack).

Among the 1,578 heart attack patients analyzed between August 2021 and August 2022, 69% were vaccinated, with 96% having received both vaccine doses. The majority had received Covishield (92.3%), and the rest had received Covaxin (7.7%).

The study revealed that there was no significant clustering of heart attacks within 30 days of vaccination. While 13% of patients experienced a 30-day mortality rate, the odds of mortality were lower in the vaccinated population after adjusting for risk factors. Factors like age, diabetes, and smoking were associated with higher odds of 30-day mortality.

During the 30-day to six-month follow-up period, 43.7% of the 75 patients who died were vaccinated, but the study still found lower odds of mortality in vaccinated subjects after adjustments.

The researchers acknowledged the study's limitations, emphasizing the need for further validation in larger studies among different ethnic groups. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is also investigating the unusual increase in "sudden deaths" among young people, particularly related to heart attacks, post-COVID-19 pandemic.