COVID-19: What You Need to Know about Long-Term Effects
As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, doctors are only now beginning to observe some troubling long-term effects brought on by COVID-19. From neurological issues and chronic fatigue to heart problems and lung scarring, the potential long-term problems after infection with COVID-19 are frightening. And it is not just those who suffered a severe infection that are experiencing these effects: some people with mild symptoms who did not need hospitalization are beginning to see these types of issues as well. Here is what doctors know so far about COVID-19’s worrisome long-term effects.
Neurological Issues
One of the most concerning ways that coronavirus has affected recovered patients is in its impact on the brain. There is some evidence that the disease may damage brain cells, possibly resulting in the reported “brain fog” (difficulty thinking and concentrating), speech problems, and even memory loss experienced by those recovering from an infection. New studies and brain scans have begun indicate that some of these symptoms might be the result of damage to the frontal lobe. A study of EEG (electroencephalogram) tests from COVID-19 patients showed evidence of abnormalities in the brain’s frontal lobe in more than one-third of participants. Experts often call the frontal lobe the “master executor” of the brain because it controls executive functioning—things like self-control, abstract thinking, and the speed of thought and processing.
Heart and Lung Damage
The breathing difficulties experienced by COVID-19 patients have been well documented, but the long-term effects of the disease on the lungs may also be troubling. Experts expect to see lung scarring, a decrease in exercise capacity, and decreased lung function. Those who recover, even from relatively mild cases, have reported lingering shortness of breath, coughing, and chest pain. Though the studies are few right now, at least one has discovered opaque patches on the lower lobes of the lungs (an indicator of inflammation) that can make breathing difficult.
Problems in the heart have also been indicated, with nearly one-third of coronavirus patients experiencing cardiovascular symptoms during the acute phase of infection. These symptoms include cardiomyopathy, a stretching, thickening, or stiffening in the heart muscle that affects its ability to pump blood. Other patients have experienced pulmonary thrombosis, or blood clots that block blood vessels in the lungs. These symptoms may increase patients’ future risk of heart failure and other cardiovascular problems for years to come.
Long-Term Fatigue
Another potential long-term effect of a COVID-19 infection is chronic fatigue. Seen before in patients who have recovered from SARS (a related disease), chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by extreme symptoms of fatigue that get worse with physical or mental activity, but do not improve with rest. Experts believe that those who have recovered from COVID-19 may experience similar effects.
Though this virus has been with us for almost a full year now, we are still learning much about its immediate and long-term effects—and we will likely be studying it for years in the future.