POST-COVID-19 COMPLICATIONS: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, CLINICAL SPECTRUM, AND LONG-TERM HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has generated an unprecedented global health burden, not only through acute illness but through a protracted syndrome of post-infection sequelae collectively termed 'Long COVID' or Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC). Objective: This article reviews the pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical manifestations, and organ-specific complications of COVID-19, with emphasis on the long-term burden of PASC. Methods: A narrative review of peer-reviewed studies, clinical registries, and WHO situation reports published between 2020 and 2024 was conducted. Results: COVID-19 complications span multiple organ systems, including the respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, renal, and immune systems. PASC affects an estimated 10–35% of COVID-19 survivors and represents a major unresolved public health challenge. Conclusion: Multidisciplinary post-COVID care pathways, sustained biomedical research, and long-term surveillance systems are urgently needed to address the growing burden of PASC globally.