Cardiovascular Manifestations of Long COVID: A Review

Ethan Krug1, Keara C Geckeler2, William H Frishman3

  • 1From the Department of Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY.

Cardiology in Review
|February 2, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Long COVID, or symptoms after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, increases risks for cardiovascular events like heart disease and stroke. Further research is needed to understand these long-term effects.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Public Health

Background:

  • The acute phase of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID) infection presents known cardiovascular issues.
  • Long-term cardiovascular consequences of COVID infection, termed Long COVID, remain less understood.
  • Long COVID is defined as symptoms persisting over 4 weeks post-initial infection.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review risk factors, characteristics, and incidence rates of cardiovascular events in Long COVID patients.
  • To explore potential mechanisms driving cardiovascular sequelae in Long COVID.
  • To compare cardiovascular risks of COVID-19 with other viral infections.

Main Methods:

  • Focused literature review.
  • Analysis of existing research on Long COVID cardiovascular manifestations.
  • Synthesis of data on cerebrovascular disease, dysrhythmias, heart disease, and thrombotic events.

Main Results:

  • Increased incidence of cerebrovascular disease, dysrhythmias, ischemic and inflammatory heart disease, and thrombotic events observed in Long COVID.
  • Variability in risk rates and underlying mechanisms for different cardiovascular events.
  • Identification of significant gaps in current literature.

Conclusions:

  • Long COVID poses a substantial risk for diverse cardiovascular complications.
  • Further investigation is crucial to elucidate mechanisms and comparative risks with other viral infections.
  • Understanding Long COVID cardiovascular sequelae is vital for patient management and public health strategies.

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