Long COVID patients suffer high rate of autonomic disorders, researchers say – National [Video]

Medical researchers at the University of Calgary say a condition affecting autonomic bodily processes — those that occur automatically, such as heart rate, bladder function and sweating — is frequently found in people diagnosed with long COVID.

The condition is known as dysautonomia, an umbrella term for a group of related conditions. Support networks for those who suffer from it are working to raise awareness throughout October, which has been deemed Dysautonomia Awareness Month by the advocacy group, Dysautonomia International.

According to research by Dr. Satish Raj, a cardiologist and expert in autonomic health conditions at the University of Calgary, as many as 30 per cent of long COVID patients also meet the criteria for a condition called POTS, a form of dysautonomia known as “postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.”

According to Dysautonomia International, other studies have put the figure at between 70 per cent and 90 per cent.

The challenge is that the symptoms of the condition …