Cardiovascular risk to kids (2025)

The Big Finding from the study

Children and teens who had COVID-19 were significantly more likely to develop a wide range of heart problems in the months that followed, including:

• Myocarditis (heart inflammation)

• Heart failure

• Irregular heart rhythms

• Chest pain & palpitations

• Blood clots

• Cardiac arrest (though rare, still elevated)

These risks were elevated even in kids with no prior heart conditions—but kids who had congenital heart defects (born with heart issues) were at even higher risk.

This was true across all ages, races, sexes, obesity status, and even virus variants (Alpha, Delta, Omicron).

Read more on: Cardiovascular post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 in children and adolescents: cohort study using electronic health records (2025, Zhang et al)