COVID-19 And Heart Problems

It has been over sixteen months, and people of all ages have been infected with the Covid-19 virus. There have been reports of death in people, who are less than 30 during the second wave.

COVID-19 And Heart Problems – Is Hypertension Related To Heart Problems

However, it has been noted that the virus is especially threatening people above the age of 60. If these people suffer from some additional ailments, then the effects are more profound.

The ailments that are being talked about here are cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory disease, and cancer. By now, everybody including kids knows that the virus spreads through droplets released from the cough of an infected person. Moreover, the virus can survive for several days on various surfaces.

Pre-Existing Heart Disease And Covid-19

Someone who already has pre-existing heart disease, on getting infected with Covid-19 may suffer a heart attack or develop congestive heart failure. Other factors backing these conditions are low oxygen levels, and pneumonia, and a propensity for clot formation. In addition to all the above, another condition has been recently observed in such people.

Myocarditis has been specially observed in such patients. Sometimes, it might seem, that Covid-19 patients are having a heart attack. But in reality, it is heart inflammation. The ECG results show changes similar to that of a heart attack. Moreover, the blood tests also reveal troponin. It is a cardiac enzyme that has been found in damaged hearts. Arrhythmia is another condition, that may arise due to the heart muscles becoming weaker.

You should be knowing about the population at risk. Those who are on immune-suppressants, like transplant patients, cancer patients, or receiving chemotherapy are at a huge risk of contracting and succumbing. Other high-risk groups include pregnant women who have heart disease. Additionally, all those who have pre-existing heart conditions are the worse sufferers.

Covid-19 And Heart Damage After Recovery

Patients who contract the virus also show many complications in the long run. There is rising evidence of cardiac injury in such patients.

Many of the Covid-19 patients who have been hospitalized are further diagnoses with complications sometime after their hospital stay. Dr. Gregg Fonarow, chief of the division of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles has said that the various complications may be dangerous. Take the example of myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart muscle. It could lead to an increase in heart failure rates in the long term.

Then, there are patients who do not have the SARS virus but are not going to hospitals for their check-ups. 40 percent of Covid deaths today can be attributed to cardiovascular issues.

Cardiac MRI has also been conducted on patients who have been released from the hospital and are apparently fine. It has been seen that there is some kind of damage to the heart. Although many patients do not need hospitalization, about 78 percent of the above sample have shown the presence of the enzyme troponin, which indicates heart damage. However, researchers say, that it is difficult to predict who is at risk.

Even after recovery, some people feel sick. So, most of the time, doctors are not able to understand if the lungs are over-stressed, or whether the heart has undergone some kind of damage. Thus, most doctors are of the opinion, that those who recover from the dreaded virus must undergo routine tests for heart inflammation amongst many others. However, the frequency at which it is happening is under study.

Certain parameters need to be ascertained before recovered patients head to the clinic for medical imaging. However, further evidence is required to find out the scope. There are people who seem to do very well after recovery. Thus, they may not need imaging and tests to ascertain heart conditions.