Even mild cases of COVID-19 can have long-term harmful impacts on cardiovascular health, a study has warned.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, is the first to compare pre- and post-Covid infection levels of arterial stiffness; a marker associated with the ageing and function of our arteries.

Researchers found that in individuals diagnosed with mild COVID-19, artery and central cardiovascular function were affected by the disease two to three months after infection.

Side effects include stiffer and more dysfunctional arteries that could lead to cardiovascular disease development, they said.