Increased risk for myocarditis, pericarditis seen one to two weeks after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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WEDNESDAY, Oct. 16, 2024 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 vaccination is associated with a reduced risk for most cardiovascular events, but with slightly increased risks of extrasystoles and transient ischemic attack, as well as myocarditis and pericarditis after mRNA vaccination, according to a study published online Sept. 30 in the European Heart Journal<\/em>.<\/p>\n Yiyi Xu, Ph.D., from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, and colleagues examined the risks for several cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events in a nationwide register-based cohort (8,070,674 Swedish adults). The postvaccination risk for myocarditis\/pericarditis, dysrhythmias, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and cerebrovascular events (transient ischemic attack and stroke) was examined in several risk windows after each vaccine dose.<\/p>\n The researchers found reduced risks for cardiovascular events postvaccination for most of the studied outcomes, especially after dose 3 (hazard ratios ranging from 0.69 to 0.81), while the risks for myocarditis and pericarditis were increased one to two weeks after COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. Across vaccines, similar slightly increased risks were seen for extrasystoles (hazard ratios, 1.17 and 1.22 for doses 1 and 2, respectively, which were stronger in the elderly and males), but not for arrhythmias, and for transient ischemic attack (hazard ratio, 1.13, mainly in elderly), but not for stroke.<\/p>\n “We found decreased risks of several serious cardiovascular outcomes after COVID-19 vaccination, likely related to the protection of vaccination against severe COVID-19,” the authors write. “Overall, our results clearly underscore the protective benefits of complete vaccination, especially for elderlies.”<\/p>\n Several authors disclosed ties to pharmaceutical companies, including AstraZeneca and Pfizer.<\/p>\n