According to a peer-reviewed study by Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR), factors like post-Covid hospitalisation, lifestyle behaviours, and family history of sudden death are likely the underlying causes behind sudden death risk in young adults. The study asserts that the Covid-19 vaccines did not increase the risk of sudden deaths among young adults in India.
Around 47 tertiary care hospitals across India participated in this study conducted by ICMR. Cases of healthy individuals who were around 18-45 years without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly died of unexplained causes during October 2021-March 2023 were studied.
The interviews recored data around- COVID-19 vaccination, infection and post-COVID-19 conditions, family history of sudden death, smoking, recreational drug use, alcohol frequency and binge drinking and vigorous-intensity physical activity two days before death.
As per the study, ‘Lifestyle factors such as current smoking status, alcohol use frequency, recent binge drinking, recreational drug/substance use and vigorous-intensity activity were positively associated with unexplained sudden death’.
The study noted, ‘…past COVID-19 hospitalization, family history of sudden death, binge drinking 48 hours before death/interview, use of recreational drug/substance and performing vigorous-intensity physical activity 48 hours before death/interview were positively associated.’
It further stated, ‘Two (vaccine) doses lowered the odds of unexplained sudden death, whereas a single dose did not. Covid-19 vaccination, by and large, has been documented to prevent all-cause mortality across age groups and settings.’
‘The primary purpose of vaccination is to prevent Covid-19-associated severity. Studies have documented adverse events, predominantly thromboembolic events, following Covid-19 vaccination’, it added.
At the same time also noted that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
It said, ‘Although there is some evidence for the increased risk of death among COVID-19-recovered individuals and among those with breakthrough infections, the evidence for sudden deaths among such individuals is scarce’.
