{"id":18663,"date":"2021-02-09T09:30:27","date_gmt":"2021-02-09T14:30:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=18663"},"modified":"2022-11-01T16:01:51","modified_gmt":"2022-11-01T20:01:51","slug":"coronavirus-and-heart-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/coronavirus-and-heart-disease\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything you need to know about COVID-19 and your heart"},"content":{"rendered":"

CORONAVIRUS UPDATE: As experts learn more about the novel coronavirus, news and information changes. For the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit the<\/span><\/i> Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Risk of COVID infection<\/a> | Severity of infection<\/a> | COVID heart attacks<\/a> | Heart inflammation<\/a> | COVID vaccine heart side effects<\/a> | Prevention<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

As the pandemic stretches on into its third year, researchers and healthcare providers continue to learn more about the <\/span>lasting effects of COVID-19<\/span><\/a>\u2014including on your heart. COVID-19 a respiratory infection that affects many different areas of the body. One of those is the cardiovascular system. There are two major concerns: how existing heart problems impact risk of infection or complications, and how the virus can damage your heart.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do heart conditions increase risk of infection with COVID-19?<\/h2>\n

“People with pre-existing heart conditions, such as coronary artery disease or a rhythm disorder, are not at <\/span>higher risk for being infected by the coronavirus<\/span><\/a> that causes COVID-19,\u201d says <\/span>William W. Li, MD<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>President of The Angiogenesis Foundation<\/span>, and author of <\/span>Eat to Beat Disease<\/span><\/i>. Meaning, you\u2019re not more likely to catch COVID-19 just because you have a cardiac problem.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBut if they become ill after infection, their heart condition may increase their risk of more serious complications from both diseases,” Dr. Li says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do people with heart conditions have a higher risk of developing a severe case of COVID-19?<\/h2>\n

Yes. If infected, those with pre-existing heart conditions\u2014including heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, and possibly high blood pressure\u2014have a higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness, according to the <\/span>U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/span><\/a> (CDC). This affects your body in three main ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

Decreased immune response: <\/b>“The presence of an underlying heart condition decreases the body\u2019s ability to withstand the stress of an infection\u2014it’s a threat amplifier,” says <\/span>Abisola Olulade, MD<\/span><\/a>, a family medicine physician at Sharp Rees-Stealy Downtown in San Diego.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

“People with heart conditions may have lower oxygen levels and weakened heart muscles. They may also have other comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), and obesity, which also increase the risk of severe complications and death from COVID-19.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Decreased circulation: <\/b>“The virus settles in the airways and infects the lungs, where it interferes with the main function of the lung: getting oxygen to the blood,” Dr. Li says. “When oxygen levels are lowered with infection, this can worsen the risk of complications for people with pre-existing heart conditions where lower oxygen in the body can put a stress on the heart.”\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Increased risk of lingering symptoms (<\/b>sequelae or \u201clong COVID\u201d<\/b><\/a>): <\/b>Patients with underlying heart conditions “are also at risk of getting long-term post-acute COVID-19 symptoms,” according to Dr. Olulade. Basically, the co-existence of coronavirus and heart disease is potentially dangerous in the short and long term.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does COVID-19 increase the risk of a heart attack?<\/h2>\n

The risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction) increased by three to eight times and the risk of stroke caused by a blood clot increased three to six times in the week after a COVID-19 diagnosis, according to a study published in <\/span>The Lancet<\/span><\/i><\/a>. <\/span><\/i>The study also showed that the risk for heart attack and stroke decreased over time, but over exactly what time course remains unknown.<\/span><\/p>\n

But vaccinations seem to provide a protective effect. According to a <\/span>2022 study<\/span><\/a>,<\/span> full vaccination against COVID-19 is linked to a significant reduction in acute myocardial infarction and stroke in individuals who later became infected with COVID-19. That means getting vaccinated is particularly important among individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How does COVID affect the heart?<\/h2>\n

The reason that patients with underlying heart conditions face serious illness when they contract COVID-19 is because the virus has a negative effect on even previously healthy patient’s hearts.<\/span><\/p>\n

A study published in <\/span>JAMA Cardiology<\/span><\/i><\/a>, found detectable virus in 24 of 39 hearts autopsied\u2014likely even in the hearts of patients who had not been diagnosed with cardiovascular problems before or while they had COVID-19.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another study published in <\/span>JAMA Cardiology<\/span><\/i><\/a> found that, “Cardiac MRIs in 100 people who had recovered from COVID-19 within the past two to three months showed cardiac involvement in 78% of patients and ongoing heart muscle inflammation in 60% of patients,” explains Dr. Olulade.<\/span><\/p>\n

While more studies need to be done, it seems that COVID-19 can cause lasting heart inflammation and cardiovascular issues like arrhythmias in patients who might not have previously experienced any heart-related illness. <\/span>Researchers<\/span><\/a> have also found that individuals who had COVID-19 were at an increased risk of blood clots for almost a year after infection, increasing their risk of heart attack and stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n

While much is still unknown about the <\/span>long-term significance<\/span><\/a> of COVID-19 complications, it can cause inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), according to the <\/span>CDC<\/span><\/a>. This may result in “the inability of the heart to pump oxygen to the rest of the body, and abnormality in heart muscle rhythm (arrhythmia),” according to Dr. Olulade.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Can the COVID vaccine damage the heart?<\/h2>\n

There have been <\/span>some cases of myocarditis and pericarditis<\/span><\/a> after COVID-19 vaccination with mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna), more often after the second shot, and within a week of vaccination. Reports of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the heart\u2019s outer lining) occur most often in adolescents and young males. Symptoms of these conditions include chest pain, shortness of breath, and a pounding or racing heart.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically, these cases respond well to treatment, and people are able to go back to their normal lives as symptoms improve. Treatment usually includes rest and <\/span>heart medications<\/span><\/a>, like ACE inhibitors. The CDC still recommends that everyone eligible be vaccinated and boosted. The benefits outweigh the rare risk of heart problems post-vaccination.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you know if COVID-19 is affecting your heart?<\/span><\/h3>\n

In the event of coronavirus heart damage, you may notice the following symptoms, according to Drs. Li, Siddiqui, and Olulade:<\/span><\/p>\n