Can Long Covid kill? Health conditions that could be life-threatening to Covid survivors

Covid pandemic is over but the world is still reeling from the profound impact of

long Covid

that continues to pose risk to many aspects of our health. Many Covid patients who survived the infection, succumbed to long Covid complications months later which highlights the stealthy nature of the infection. More than 5,000 Americans have died from long Covid since the start of the pandemic, according to estimates from CDC.
The fact remains that there is no standard definition or diagnostic test for long Covid, the condition many adults, children and elderly are battling with. It is not just an inexplicable fatigue, a frustrating brain fog, headaches, or dizziness, long Covid could severely impact our viral body parts like heart, lungs, kidney and brain, which can lead to a range of health conditions, which if not tacked could lead to death.
A Nature study uncovered some unconventional symptoms of Covid like sudden loss of body weight, ear pain, eye problems, sneezing, cold nose, burning feeling in the trachea, dizziness, heart palpitations, pain/burning feeling in the lungs, pain between the shoulder blades, Sicca syndrome, vertigo, body aches, and confusion.

Long Covid is typically diagnosed when people have symptoms at least 3 months after an acute infection that weren’t present before they got sick. About 7% of American adults had experienced long Covid at some point, the CDC estimated in September 2023.
According to another Nature study, the risk for long Covid fatalities remains elevated for at least 6 months for people with milder acute infections and for at least 2 years in severe cases that require hospitalization.

Covid’s damaging effects could be silent at times and as the time goes one may realise the adverse impact of the virus on lungs, heart, nervous system, kidneys, liver and other organs. Mental health problems can arise from grief and loss, unresolved pain or fatigue, or from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU).

What is concerning is that post-Covid-19 syndrome is not just affecting people who got severe disease but also those who were never severely ill with Covid-19.
Here are 4 health conditions that could be fatal:

1. Heart health

Covid-19 can affect your heart in multiple ways. The infection leads to the formation of blood clots which could affect heart and increase risk of heart attack and stroke. It can also weaken heart’s muscles and this may result in heart failure even when the infection happened long back. This could be visible in the form of palpitations and fluctuation in heart rate. The arrhythmias can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. If you are experiencing shortness of breath, chest discomfort, dizziness or fatigue, you may want to consult a health expert.

2. Lung damage

Long Covid can damage your lungs and may lead to a range of lung complications. According to John Hopkins Medicine, the pneumonia associated with Covid-19 can be severe and even after the disease has passed, lung injury may result in breathing difficulties that might take months to improve. In case of Covid-19-related bronchitis, patients may experience a cough that could persist even months after the initial infection. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) can cause lasting pulmonary scarring.

3. Kidney disease

Covid-19 may lead to a loss of kidney function even months after recovery. This silent condition can affect even patients who did not require hospitalization. While severe cases often show obvious signs of kidney damage, such as abnormal blood work or the presence of protein or blood in the urine, even those with no pre-existing kidney issues can experience these complications. Studies indicate that over 30% of hospitalized Covid-19 patients develop kidney injury, with more than half of those in the ICU requiring dialysis. The virus infects kidney cells directly, using specific receptors to damage tissues, similar to its effects on the lungs and heart. Also, low blood oxygen levels and an overactive immune response, including a cytokine storm, can further contribute to kidney damage. Covid-19 can also lead to blood clots that obstruct the kidneys’ tiny blood vessels, impeding their ability to filter waste and toxins.

4. Brain health

Acute Hemorrhagic Leukoencephalitis (AHLE), a neurological complication of severe Covid-19 infection could be life-threatening. AHLE is a rare and often fatal neurological complication. It is a severe form of ADEM characterized by hemorrhage, significantly elevated intracranial pressure (ICP), and potential complications such as coma and herniation.