High cholesterol: Is long COVID a risk?

High cholesterol has always been a serious risk for human life. Long COVID is recently being seen as a threat. These health issues silently affect the daily life of an individual deteriorating gradually at a slower pace.

The main concern is though these have fatal effects on life, there is less awareness around it. People are not aware of either of these conditions, until it is too late.

Read: Dengue-As cases rise in country, here are 5 myths you need to avoid

What worsens the situation is when there is a link between both these complications and one of them is a reason for the other and vice versa.

Unfortunately yes!

Research studies have established that high cholesterol is linked to long COVID. Some have also said that people with high cholesterol are more likely to develop long COVID than those who have normal cholesterol levels.

As per a 2021 research study: Cholesterol concomitantly traffics angiotensinogen converting enzyme (ACE2) to the endocytic entry site where SARS-CoV-2 presumably docks to efficiently exploit entry into the cell. The study titled "The role of high cholesterol in age-related COVID19 lethality," done by researchers at The Scripps Research Institute found that viral infection in cells with high cholesterol was more than 3-fold higher compared to low cholesterol.

Yes, it can.

According to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, in September 2022, young people infected with COVID are likely to have increased cholesterol. The study, by the researchers from the University of Zurich, Switzerland, also found that COVID infection also leads to a high body mass index (BMI), and reduced physical stamina after the viral infection.

As per a 2020 study, low density lipoprotein or LDLs, contributes to blood vessel related complications in COVID patients. LDLS are considered to be the bad cholesterol and based on the levels of which high cholesterol is determined. "The virus invades the endothelial cells (EC) and causes acute endothelial injury and triggers coagulopathies as significant clinical sequelae. The ECs within atherosclerotic plaques are more vulnerable to an attack from COVID-19 or inflammatory storms, causing a rupture of plaques and a high risk of developing coagulopathy in patients with associated cardiovascular preconditions," the study explains.

Statins are cholesterol modifying drugs. It is believed that they have antiviral effects.

A study explains that statins improve endothelial function, stabilizes atherosclerotic plaques, and has anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and antithrombotic effects.

The capacity of statins to reduce lipids, boost protective immune responses and exert anti-inflammatory properties could all contribute to a potential benefit during COVID infection.

Long COVID is difficult to spot partly because the symptoms persist in the individual for a longer period and there are no clear guidelines on 'how long' and also partly because of the lack of awareness around it.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has listed several symptoms associated with long COVID. Fatigue, sleeplessness, chest pain, sleep problem, memory loss, concentration issue, trouble in speaking, muscle ache, loss of smell, loss of taste, depression, anxiety issue and fever.

Long COVID is a menace and its association with every single life threatening disease is a reason to worry. In this crisis, it is extremely important to take care of our health.

As per research studies, a huge number of people are suffering from long COVID at the current time. In view of the rising number of COVID cases and the emerging variants of the Omicron it is evident that both COVID and long COVID along with the complications associated with these are going to trouble lives.

Hence, COVID safety protocol, timely medical check up, and cleanliness are to be strictly followed in order to lead a healthy life.