A Patient Infected with SARS-CoV-2 Presenting with Complete Heart Block

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Bindu Gyawali1, Bikash Baral1, Sangam Shah1

  • 1Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Maharajgunj, 44600, Nepal.

Case Reports in Cardiology
|August 23, 2021
PubMed

Insights

COVID-19 infection can rarely cause complete heart block (CHB) when the virus affects heart cells via the ACE-2 receptor. This report details a case of CHB in a 49-year-old male with COVID-19.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Virology

Background:

  • COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is a global health concern.
  • Cardiac complications, though infrequent, are increasingly recognized in COVID-19 patients.
  • Myocardial involvement can occur through viral entry via the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor.

Observation:

  • A 49-year-old male presented with symptoms indicative of a cardiac event.
  • Diagnostic workup confirmed the presence of complete heart block (CHB).
  • The patient had a recent diagnosis of COVID-19 infection.

Findings:

  • Complete heart block is an uncommon but significant cardiac manifestation of COVID-19.
  • The SARS-CoV-2 virus's potential to infect myocardial cells via ACE-2 receptors offers a plausible mechanism for CHB.
  • This case highlights a rare but serious neurological complication associated with SARS-CoV-2.

Implications:

  • Understanding the mechanisms of COVID-19 cardiac involvement is crucial for patient management.
  • Early recognition and monitoring of cardiac arrhythmias in COVID-19 patients may be warranted.
  • Further research into viral-induced cardiomyopathies and heart blocks is needed.

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