ICMR research linked to heart attacks underway, out in 2 months: Mandaviya

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is conducting a study to know the connection between the sudden rise in deaths due to cardiac arrest and Covid-19 and its results are expected to come in two months' time.

The results of the study are expected to come in two months, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya told reporters here.

Earlier on December 22 during Chintan Shivir in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, the Union Health Minister told ANI that the study will take six more months to complete to know whether there is any connection between Covid-19 and heart attacks.

The ICMR team that is conducting this study includes several scientists like Dr Nivedita and Dr Tanveer Kaur.

However, in February, Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former Chief Scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) said that it is well established that after being infected with Covid-19, the risk of heart attacks, diabetes, and strokes goes up.

"Risk of getting a heart attack is 4-5 per cent higher after being infected with Covid-19 than getting it after vaccination. Covid-19 infection is itself a main risk factor for subsequent heart attacks," Dr Soumya Swaminathan had said while speaking to ANI exclusively.