Concurrent COVID-19 at the time of an ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), raises one-year mortality by 25%, according to new, late-breaking data just presented at the 2026 joint meeting of the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) & Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology/Association Canadienne de Cardiologie d’Intervention (CAIC-ACCI) in Montreal.

Analysis of outcomes from 2,358 STEMI cases at medical centers across North America, showed a death rate of 45% among patients who had COVID at the time of the index MI. Among COVID-negative patients, the one-year mortality was 27%, and among matched control subjects who had neither COVID nor STEMI, the rate was 11% (p<0.001).

That’s a 67% difference in mortality between the COVID-positive and COVID-negative MI patients, says Lead investigator Payam Dehghani, a cardiologist at the Prairie Vascular Research Network, Regina, SK. He added that the overwhelming majority of these deaths—86% in total—occurred during the index hospitalization for the STEMI episode.

This is the first study to look specifically at the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on long-term STEMI mortality. A previous report from this multi-center research team suggested that people with COVID and STEMI are seven times more likely to die in the hospital, or suffer strokes or recurrent MIs shortly after, than are similar patients without COVID.

Dr. Dehghani noted that among survivors of an initial STEMI hospitalization, one-year mortality rates were 25% higher in patients with COVID-19 (12% vs. 9.6%) (p<0.001). That’s more than double the pre-pandemic one-year mortality rate of 5.3% (p<0.001).

The findings, which have yet to be published, are a stark reminder that the COVID crisis—though it no longer generates mass media headlines–is far from over, especially among vulnerable populations at high cardiovascular risk.

“Our findings emphasize that patients who survive a STEMI need close, ongoing attention from their care team, especially when experiencing COVID-19,” Dr. Dehghani stressed. “Clinicians should carefully assess and monitor cardiovascular risk factors, including lifestyle choices, and patients must remain actively engaged in their recovery and follow-up care.” 

Subgroup analyses looking at gender disparities in the mortality rates are underway.

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