COVID-19 may up cardio woes

Coronavirus patients are likely to develop cardiac structural abnormalities, and as compared to women, men are more likely to face death risk, says a study

Scientists have identified the different types of structural injuries to the heart experienced by COVID-19 patients that are associated with life-threatening blood clots and cardiac arrest, findings that may lead to better monitoring of people vulnerable to these deadly conditions.

According to the study, these abnormalities in the heart are associated with higher risk of death among hospitalised COVID-19 patients.

The researchers, including those from The Mount Sinai Hospital in the US, believe the new insights may help doctors better understand the mechanism of cardiac injury among those infected with the novel coronavirus, leading to quicker identification of patients at risk and guidance on future therapies.“Early detection of structural abnormalities may dictate more appropriate treatments, including anticoagulation and other approaches for hospitalised and post-hospitalised patients,” said study co-author Valentin Fuster from The Mount Sinai Hospital.

In the current study, the scientists looked at the levels of the protein troponin, which is re

leased when the heart muscle becomes damaged, in combination with the presence of cardiac scan abnormalities seen using an echocardiogram instrument.

The researchers found that the combination was associated with worse prognosis and mortality than troponin elevations alone. “This is one of the first studies to provide detailed echocardiographic and electrocardiographic data in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and laboratory evidence of myocardial injury,” explained study corresponding author Gennaro Giustino from The Mount Sinai Hospital.

“We found that among COVID-19 patients who underwent transthoracic echocardiography, these cardiac structural abnormalities were diverse and present in nearly two-thirds of patients,” Giustino said.

According to the study, the average age of the patients was 63 years and 67.2 per cent were men.The scientists found that patients with myocardial injury had more heart scan abnormalities, and higher levels of molecules indicating inflammation when compared to patients without heart injury. They said these abnormalities were diverse with some patients exhibiting multiple signs of heart injury.