Infection with COVID-19 Complicated by Sinus Arrest

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness known to cause cardiac complications.
• Immune responses to viral infections can impact cardiovascular function.

Observation:

• A 79-year-old woman developed sinus arrest (SA) with a 7.2-second asystole after a second COVID-19 infection.
• SA was not present after her initial COVID-19 infection.
• The patient's condition resolved with conservative management, despite meeting criteria for pacemaker implantation.

Findings:

• COVID-19 reinfection can induce significant cardiac arrhythmias, such as sinus arrest.
• The induced arrhythmia demonstrated reversibility over time.
• Conservative management proved effective in this case.

Implications:

• COVID-19's potential to cause reversible cardiac arrhythmias warrants careful consideration in patient management.
• Permanent pacemaker implantation may not be the immediate priority for COVID-19-associated sinus arrest.
• Further research is needed on the long-term cardiac effects of COVID-19 and its variants.