The findings add to the evidence that COVID-19 is associated with an increased risk for clotting, which can trigger a stroke, the researchers said.
Strokes Are Deadlier When They Hit COVID-19 Patients
FRIDAY, May 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- COVID-19 hasn't increased the risk for stroke, but when a stroke occurs it's more likely to be fatal, a new study finds.
According to researchers, less than 1% of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 suffer a stroke. But they also found that people with COVID-19 who suffer a stroke are seven times more likely to die than people who have a stroke but aren't infected with COVID-19.
"Our study suggests that stroke is an uncommon yet important complication of coronavirus, given that these strokes are more severe when compared with strokes occurring in patients who tested negative for the virus," lead researcher Dr. Shadi Yaghi said in a New York University news release. He's an assistant professor in the department of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine in New York City.