Coronavirus Causes Cardiovascular Damage

September 16. 2020

Heart

A report in JAMA Cardiology stated that medical researchers discovered in July 2020 that the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) damages the heart (see external article excerpts below). This confirms what I wrote 3-months prior on April 10, 2020 in the article "Reports Confirm Obesity And Compromised Immune System Linked To Severity Of Coronavirus Infections As Previously Stated On The Site."

My tweet on Twitter.com about heart damage from coronavirus which I posted 4-months prior to an official study that pronounced their findings revealing coronavirus does indeed damage the heart

In my April 10, 2020 article "Reports Confirm Obesity And Compromised Immune System Linked To Severity Of Coronavirus Infections As Previously Stated On The Site" I wrote, "On March 28, 2020, Boris Johnson announced he has the coronavirus. One day later on March 29th and again on March 30th, I warned on Twitter.com that he needed to have his heart monitored, which would occur in a hospital setting, as his weight and age poses a greater risk with coronavirus."

Research reveals heart complications in COVID-19 patients

Jul 27, 2020 - Two German studies published today in JAMA Cardiology show abnormal heart imaging findings in recently recovered COVID-19 patients, and cardiac infections in those who have died from their infections.

The first, an observational cohort study, involved 100 unselected coronavirus patients identified from the University Hospital Frankfurt COVID-19 Registry from April to June, 57 risk factor-matched patients, and 50 healthy volunteers.

Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging revealed heart involvement in 78 patients and active cardiac inflammation in 60, independent of underlying conditions, disease severity, overall course of illness, and time from diagnosis to CMR.

Thirty-three of 100 patients required hospitalization. Detectable levels of high-sensitivity troponin were found in 71 COVID-19 patients, while significantly elevated levels were detected in five patients. Recovered COVID-19 patients had lower left ventricular ejection fraction, higher left ventricle volumes, higher left ventricle mass, and elevated native T1 and T2 than controls, all indicating heart dysfunction.

Seventy-eight coronavirus patients had abnormal CMR findings, including 73 with raised myocardial native T1, 60 with raised myocardial native T2, 32 with myocardial late gadolinium enhancement, and 22 with pericardial enhancement, all signs of heart damage. Biopsy of the heart muscle in patients with serious findings showed ongoing immune-mediated inflammation.
Exacerbation of underlying heart disease

The study authors noted that while most coronavirus research has focused on short-term respiratory complications, particularly in critically ill patients, mounting evidence suggests that COVID-19 has a significant impact on the cardiovascular system by worsening heart failure in patients with preexisting cardiac diseases...

https://www.cidrap.umn.edu

Coronavirus associated with heart damage, study finds

July 13, 2020 04:07 PM - More than half of COVID-19 patients showed some form of heart damage in scans after their illness, according to a recent study that adds to mounting evidence showing the virus may cause cardiac injury.

An observational analysis of more than 1,200 confirmed and suspected COVID-19 patients across 69 countries between April 3 and April 20 found heart abnormalities in 55% after they underwent echocardiograms, with 1 in 7 experiencing severe cardiac disease.

The results were recently published in the European Heart Journal–Cardiovascular Imaging. The majority of patients tested had no pre-existing heart problems, yet 46% of that group were found to have heart abnormalities, with 13% showing signs of severe disease.

"Building on this study, there is now a need for future imaging and biomarker studies to systematically investigate the cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19, and to establish their true prevalence," researchers wrote.

Study participants' average age was 62 and 70% were male. Normal indicators that would alert clinicians of the possibility of a heart problem were not present in most of the patients who had abnormal echocardiograms. Only 11% of patients with abnormal scans reported having chest pains, while signs of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, were found in only 5% of that same group. Such indicators normally prompt clinicians to conduct more tests, like an echocardiogram, to look for heart issues...

https://www.modernhealthcare.com

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