"Our findings emphasize that patients who survive a STEMI need close, ongoing attention from their care team, especially when experiencing COVID-19."
— Payam Dehghani, MD, FSCAI

COVID-19 Significantly Increases One-Year Mortality in STEMI Patients

Data from the North American COVID-19 Myocardial Infarction (NACMI) registry reveal a stark prognosis for patients with both COVID-19 and ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

According to findings presented at the SCAI 2026 Scientific Sessions and CAIC-ACCI Summit, COVID-19 positive STEMI patients face a 67% higher one-year mortality rate compared to those with STEMI alone.

Study Scope

The registry analyzed 2,358 STEMI patients, broken down into three groups:

• 623 COVID-19 positive
• 694 COVID-19 negative
• 1,041 matched controls

Critical Findings

One-year mortality was significantly higher in the COVID-19 positive cohort:

• 45% in COVID-19 positive patients vs. 27% in COVID-19 negative patients (p<0.001)

The majority of deaths occurred early. 86% of deaths took place during the initial hospital stay.

Even survivors face elevated risk. Among those who survived the initial hospitalization:

• One-year mortality was 12% in COVID-19 positive patients vs. 9.6% in COVID-19 negative patients (p<0.001)
• This rate is more than double the pre-pandemic rate of 5.3% (p<0.001)

Expert Commentary

Payam Dehghani, MD, FSCAI, interventional cardiologist at Prairie Vascular Research Inc, emphasized the need for vigilant follow-up care, particularly for patients experiencing both conditions.

Additional analyses exploring potential gender disparities are currently underway.