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Author Spotlight: Workflow for Integrating POCUS Data into EHR for Managing Heart Failure Patients
Published on: July 12, 2024
Heart failure exacerbation as only presenting sign of COVID-19
Daphne-Dominique H Villanueva1, Heather P Lusby1, Shehla P Islam1,2
1University of Florida College of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Medicine, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Insights
This case study highlights a patient initially admitted for heart failure who later developed COVID-19. It underscores the need to investigate cardiac manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Virology
Background:
- COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, commonly presents with respiratory symptoms.
- Cardiac complications of SARS-CoV-2 are increasingly recognized but not fully understood.
Observation:
- A patient with pre-existing heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was admitted for decompensated heart failure.
- The patient later developed fever, prompting testing for SARS-CoV-2.
Findings:
- The case suggests a potential link between SARS-CoV-2 infection and cardiac decompensation.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the direct cardiac effects of SARS-CoV-2.
Implications:
- This case broadens the spectrum of clinical presentations associated with SARS-CoV-2.
- Clinicians should consider cardiac involvement in patients with COVID-19, especially those with underlying cardiovascular conditions.
Abstract:
With the increasing number of confirmed cases and accumulating clinical data, our understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve. Here we describe the case of a patient who was initially admitted for decompensated heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Only later in his course did he develop fever that led to testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-COV-2). Although we are aware of the common respiratory failure induced by SARS-COV-2, we have scant information that describes cardiac manifestations caused by this novel virus.
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