According to research by the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2022, the risk of stroke is higher among patients infected with COVID-19 than those with other types of infection like the flu. Stroke risk among older adults with COVID-19 was highest within the first three days of infection.
 

Common stroke symptoms

You can easily identify stroke symptoms by remembering the acronym “BE FAST”:
 
B – balance problems
E – eyes, vision issues
 
F – facial drooping or uneven smile
A – arm weakness
S – speech is slurred
T – time is important, call 9-1-1 immediately
 

COVID-19 affects more than your lungs

When you become infected with any type of virus, the immune system immediately attacks it in your body. With a COVID-19 infection, the body’s response is much more exaggerated and clots are more likely to form in blood vessels and organs throughout the body. When blood clots occur in the brain, it causes a stroke.
 
Dr. Sea Mi Park, Vascular Interventional Neurologist and Medical Director of the Stroke Program at Community Medical Centers, explains how a COVID-19 infection can cause clots in blood vessels throughout the body, including the brain.