Electrocardiographic Features of Patients with COVID-19: An Updated Review
Jorge Romero1, Mohamed Gabr1, Juan Carlos Diaz2
1Cardiac Arrhythmia Center, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Montefiore-Einstein Center for Heart and Vascular Care, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
Insights
COVID-19 commonly causes cardiac issues like myocardial infarction and myocarditis. This review details the electrocardiographic changes seen in COVID-19 patients and explores their potential causes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Infectious Diseases
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- COVID-19 is a novel infectious disease with diverse systemic manifestations.
- Cardiac involvement, including myocardial infarction and myocarditis, is a recognized complication of COVID-19.
- Electrocardiographic (ECG) changes are frequently observed in patients with COVID-19.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and summarize the reported electrocardiographic features in patients with COVID-19.
- To explore the potential underlying mechanisms contributing to these ECG findings.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review of studies reporting ECG findings in COVID-19 patients.
- Analysis of reported ECG abnormalities and their clinical correlations.
Main Results:
- Commonly reported ECG findings include sinus tachycardia, non-specific ST-T wave changes, and QT interval prolongation.
- Less frequent but significant findings include arrhythmias, signs of myocardial infarction, and myocarditis.
- The prevalence and specific patterns of ECG changes may vary based on disease severity.
Conclusions:
- Electrocardiographic abnormalities are common in COVID-19 and reflect cardiac involvement.
- Understanding these ECG features is crucial for patient management and risk stratification.
- Further research is needed to elucidate the precise pathophysiological mechanisms linking COVID-19 to specific ECG changes.
Abstract:
Numerous systemic manifestations, including cardiac involvement in the form of myocardial infarction, myocarditis, and electrocardiographic changes, have been associated with COVID-19..In this review, the authors describe the electrocardiographic features that have been reported to date in patients affected by this disease and their possible underlying mechanisms.
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