COVID-19 and Blood Clots: Is it only The Virus to be Blamed? What are new Updates? A Systematic Review

Abstract

COVID-19 is a viral disease that infected most of the people on the planet as a pandemic. The disease is attributed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes respiratory symptoms, vascular disorders and can infect more body systems. This article aims to expand the list of causes of blood clotting as well as to focus the light on the links between blood clots and the virus which was always blamed to cause thrombosis. From the literature, reasons of blood coagulation consist of 3 main categories: non-infectious, infectious, and medications. Some medications used in the international therapeutic protocol for COVID-19 might cause blood coagulation such as zinc, glucocorticoids, and favipiravir which are not well studied. Finally, new causes of thrombosis are recently added to the list which are SARS-CoV-2, some therapeutics used for COVID-19 treatment strategy, and COVID-19 vaccines. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 may cause blood clots, but it is not the only reason. COVID-19, some medicines used to treat patients, and COVID-19 vaccines are added to the list of causes of blood clots despite the rare incidence of blood clots recorded in vaccinated people.