How COVID is affecting heart health: Key points on complications, symptoms

An analysis of data from nearly 154 000 US veterans with COVID published in JAMA Network found that patients with COVID were at increased risk of a broad range of cardiovascular disorders.

The study lists the complications like cerebrovascular disorders, dysrhythmias, ischemic and non–ischemic heart disease, pericarditis, myocarditis, heart failure, and thromboembolic disease.

It found that for every 1000 people COVID was associated with an increase in cardiovascular complications by 45.29%.

Patients with more severe COVID had higher risks of cardiovascular complication. Severity of COVID is determined by whether the patients were recuperated at home, were hospitalized, or were admitted to the intensive care unit.

But this does not mean others are not at risk. “But the risks were evident even among those who were not hospitalized with COVID-19,” the study adds.

It also highlighted other risks like age, race, sex, obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hyperlipidemia, and preexisting cardiovascular disease.

Though a respiratory illness COVID affects the heart as well. Three years into the pandemic several studies have discussed the detrimental effect of the COVID on the heart.
The coronavirus damages the endothelial cells or the cells which line all the blood vessels in our body. This leads to abnormal blood clotting, ruptured blood vessels and also reduced blood flow to several parts of the body leading to heart complications.
This is also the reason why COVID is life threatening to those who already have heart conditions.
Another explanation is that due to lack of oxygen in the bloodstream the heart has to pump more blood through the body which subsequently puts those under risk who have pre-existing heart conditions.

The heart complications seen after COVID are:1. Stroke2. Transient Ischaemic attack3. Atrial fibrillation4. Sinus tachycardia5. Sinus bradycardia6. Ventricular arrhythmias7. Atrial flutter8. Pericarditis9. Myocarditis10. Acute coronary disease11. Myocardial Infarction12. Ischemic cardiomyopathy13. Angina14. Heart failure15. Non-ischemic cardiomyopathy16. Cardiac arrest17. Cardiogenic shock18. Pulmonary embolism19. Deep vein thrombosis20. Superficial vein thrombosis

The common symptoms, which can tell whether you have developed a heart condition after COVID infection, are shortness of breath and chest pain.

Shortness of breath is characterized by bluish lips and/or face, gasping for breath which worsens when lying down or with minimal physical activity. This is accompanied by fatigue or ankle swelling.

A chest pain due to heart problems developed after COVID is mostly accompanied by nausea, shortness of breath, lightheadedness or sweating.

This chest pain lasts for more than 5 minutes and mostly increases in frequency.

The key to safeguarding one's health from any type of complication is to take medical assistance at the earliest. A clear idea of the symptoms can help you with this.

It is important to not ignore the symptoms like increased heart beat, recurring chest pain and shortness of breath.

COVID is debilitating for the human body and its effect just does not subside on its own. Even after the incubation period of the virus, its effect remains in the body; this has generated a huge population who are living with post-COVID symptoms or long COVID conditions.

Heart is a sensitive target in long COVID conditions as well. Hence remaining aware of the signs and symptoms is the key.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of over 100 studies with 16 meeting high-quality criteria, finds that approximately 10% people infected had enduring symptoms (several months to >1 year) of chest pain and arrhythmias, American cardiologist Eric Topol has tweeted.“I agree. This happened to me and it lasted a year. I had heart palpitations, and chest pain for a little over a year of contracting covid in March of 2020," replies one user.
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"It is evident that many COVID-19 survivors may experience chronic cardiovascular symptoms, even those without previous cardiovascular disease, comorbidities, and who have a baseline low risk of cardiovascular disease," the study, submitted to preprint servermedRxiv, says and adds that chest pain and arrhythmia are the two most common long-term symptoms.