How Does COVID-19 Affect The Heart?
Novel Coronavirus is not new anymore. The Pandemic has completed a year mark since its inception in Wuhan, China. Commonly known as COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 is known for its deadly infection in the nose, lungs, and upper throat. As the cases increased, there have been reports of the virus affecting different people in different ways, particularly in the lungs, kidneys, and heart. Most people develop mild to moderate illness and recover in time while others suffer calamitously.
Recent reports suggest vandalism of the heart has emerged as yet another serious outcome of the virus among other possible complications. COVID-19 is a disease that ranges from bare symptomatic to censorious illness. Many among those infected have been reported to develop cardiac diseases either unanticipated or as a complication of preceding cardiovascular illnesses. Besides, some reports point out clinical events, which suggests patients’ existing conditions were cardiovascular rather than respiratory.
How does the Novel Coronavirus affect the Heart?
Since the inception of the COVID, there have been different reports based on contrasting symptoms of the patients. Some have had breathing troubles while others were seen rattling cardiac illnesses. Even in the early stage of COVID-19, there were reports apprising the extent of heart diseases among patients hospitalized in Wuhan, China. Since then, many other reports have upheld that cardiac diseases can be a part of COVID-induced suffering.
Though the source and recency of the cardiac illness yet not well established but reports suggest it likely involves increased stress due to respiratory failure, lung diseases, hypoxemia, direct myocardial infarction, or any indirect injury due to inflammatory response. Many cases of myocardial infarction in COVID-19 patients suggest proof of cardiovascular infections but do not highlight the means.
Autopsies report inflammation consisting of macrophages and CD4+ T cells. About 7% of the cases with heart diseases are seen to have an acute cardiac injury(ACI) caused by a possible profusion of ACE type 2 receptor in the cardiovascular system that binds with spike protein of COVID-19.
Other reports suggest that there is a tenfold rise in the number of deaths due to high-sensitivity-Troponin. About 15% of the cases were reported to have different types of arrhythmia caused by irregular respiratory conditions.
Fever and inflammation drive the heart rate and increases metabolic demand on the heart, further diminishing oxygen supply to the heart muscle. Patients are also seen to develop tiny blood clots that clog the vessels in the heart and even in the other organs like kidneys, disposing them of oxygen and essential nutrients leading to multisystem failure. This can result in cytokinesis caused by the release of cytokines giving rise to tissue injury and organ damage.
Does COVID-19 affect the heart even after recovery?
Though there is yet no definitive mechanism that suggests a potential increase in heart failure due to COVID-19, there are growing numbers of studies that suggest that the pandemic survivors experience some type of cardiac disorder. Studies also suggest that patients with no early diagnosis of underlying heart diseases were also seen to have some type of infection in the heart after the recovery. These infections vary from person to person.
Infections like myocarditis could lead to heart failure. Reports based on MRIs of patients recovered from COVID-19 found unusualness in the heart and myocardial infections. Some studies have found high levels of hs-troponin, even in the patients who weren’t hospitalized.
Be mindful of emergencies
With little information and varying outcomes, it is difficult to identify who is at more risk. A lot of people end up feeling exhausted even after the recovery. The above data suggests the importance of good cardiovascular health among COVID-19 patients. Timely diagnosis and treatment play a significant role in recovery.
We know there is physical, economic, and social chaos around the world due to the virus. Even if you do not have it yourself, such times can put you through hardships and intensify the risk of all sorts of stress-related illnesses. For those with preexisting heart diseases, it is important to practice good heart health. Being watchful of sanitization, a proper exercise regimen, and eating well is the key to a healthy heart and body. Also, staying connected with family and friends through the Internet by maintaining social distancing, can also help you overcome emotional stress.
People with the underlying disease should confer with their health professionals concerning uncertain risks and circumstances to determine whether additional precautions are required.