Coinciding with coronavirus at the time of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) raises the 1-year mortality rate by 25%, according to a new report. Delayed data It was just presented at the 2026 Joint Meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) and the Canadian Society of Interventional Cardiology/Canadian Association for Cardiovascular Intervention (CAIC-ACCI) in Montreal.
An analysis of outcomes of 2,358 STEMI cases at medical centers across North America showed a mortality rate of 45% among patients who had COVID at the time of the index MI. Among COVID-negative patients, the 1-year mortality rate was 27%, and among matched control subjects who did not develop COVID or STEMI, the rate was 11% (P < 0.001).
That’s a 67% difference in mortality between COVID-positive and COVID-negative myocardial infarction patients, says lead researcher Payam Dehghani, MD, a cardiologist at Prairie Vascular Research Network, Regina, SK. He added that the vast majority of these deaths – 86% in total – occurred during hospitalization for a STEMI attack.
This is the first study to specifically look at the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on long-term short-term stroke mortality. Previous report
The multi-center research team suggested that people with COVID and STEMI are seven times more likely to die in hospital, or to suffer strokes or recurrent strokes soon after, than similar patients without COVID.
Among survivors of initial hospitalization, 1-year mortality rates were 25% higher in patients with COVID-19 (12% vs. 9.6%) (P < 0.001), Dr. Dehghani noted. This is more than double the pre-pandemic one-year mortality rate of 5.3% (P < 0.001).
The results, which have not yet been published, are a stark reminder that the Covid crisis – although no longer making media headlines – is far from over, especially among vulnerable populations at risk for cardiovascular disease.
“Our findings confirm that patients who have survived a STEMI need close and continuous attention from their care team, especially when they are infected with COVID-19,” Dr. Dehghani stressed. “Physicians should carefully evaluate and monitor cardiovascular risk factors, including lifestyle choices, and patients should remain actively involved in their recovery and follow-up care.”
Subgroup analyzes examining gender differences in mortality rates are currently underway.
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