Study: Nearly a third of older adults developed new medical conditions after COVID-19

Editor's Note

In this study, published by the British Medical Journal, 32% of individuals, 65 years and older, who were infected with COVID-19 developed at least one new medical condition in the months after the initial infection, the February 11 Becker’s Hospital Review reports.

This 32% was 11% higher than a control group who did not have a diagnosis of COVID-19. 

The new conditions included respiratory failure, fatigue, hypertension, memory difficulties, kidney injury, mental health diagnoses, hypercoagulability, and cardiac rhythm disorders.

However, compared to a control group with viral lower respiratory tract illness, only respiratory failure, dementia, and post-viral fatigue had increased risk differences.

The risk of several conditions also were increased for men, Blacks, and those 75 years and older.

The data used for the study was from UnitedHealth Group Clinical Research Database.