Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on heart health, with long-term effects such as blood clots and high blood pressure being highlighted as significant concerns. This is particularly true for patients who have recovered from the virus, as they continue to face ongoing health issues. The impact on heart health has been widespread, including a rise in heart attacks among individuals aged 40 and younger over the first two years of the pandemic.
One individual who has experienced the consequences of long Covid is American firefighter and paramedic Mike Camilleri. Prior to his battle with the virus, he had no trouble performing physically demanding tasks. However, after contracting Covid-19, he developed dangerous episodes of intense chest pain, high blood pressure spikes, and a rapid heartbeat with minimal exertion. Unfortunately, Camilleri is not alone in these experiences, as the effects on heart health due to Covid-19 are only beginning to emerge.
Cardiologist Dr. Susan Cheng from Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre warns that the heart and vascular system have been significantly impacted by the virus, surpassing the effects on other organ systems. It is not just long Covid patients who face these concerns, as individuals may be at an increased risk of developing heart-related problems for up to a year after recovering from Covid-19. These problems can range from blood clots and irregular heartbeats to heart attacks, even if the initial recovery appeared successful.
One alarming finding is that there has been an increase in heart attacks among individuals aged 25 to 44 during the first two years of the pandemic. This is concerning, as heart-related death rates had reached record lows in the US in 2019 before the arrival of Covid-19. The pandemic undid a decade of progress in reducing heart-related deaths. The persistent rise in high blood pressure among people during the pandemic also adds to these concerns, as high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for heart disease.
Cardiovascular symptoms are part of a condition known as long Covid, which encompasses various health issues, including fatigue and brain fog. The US National Institutes of Health is conducting small studies to explore potential treatments for long Covid symptoms, including those related to the heart. However, it is crucial for both patients and healthcare providers to recognize that cardiovascular problems can be the first or primary symptom of Covid-19-related damage.
Individuals like Camilleri, who has experienced a range of heart symptoms, have sought treatment at long Covid clinics. Specialists, including cardiologist Dr. Amanda Verma from Washington University, have been studying a small group of patients with heart-related Covid-19 symptoms. They have found that abnormalities in blood flow may contribute to these issues. Some long Covid patients experience difficulties with their fight-or-flight response, causing their blood vessels to remain dilated and impeding proper blood circulation.
To address these symptoms, healthcare professionals prescribe medications that dilate blood vessels and reduce the fight-or-flight response. Physical therapists also play a crucial role in developing tailored rehabilitation plans to help patients normalize their heart rate and manage their symptoms.
Research conducted by Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly from Washington University revealed that individuals who had survived Covid-19 were more likely to experience abnormal heartbeats, blood clots, chest pain, palpitations, heart attacks, and strokes up to a year later compared to those who had not been infected. This risk extended to middle-aged individuals with no prior signs of heart disease. Al-Aly estimates that about four out of every 100 people recovering from Covid-19 require care for heart-related symptoms. While this may seem like a small risk per individual, given the scale of the pandemic, it translates to millions of individuals experiencing cardiovascular symptoms.
While reinfection may still pose a threat, ongoing research is exploring whether the risk of post-Covid heart problems has decreased due to vaccination and milder strains of the virus. Additionally, a recent analysis found that patients with long Covid were twice as likely to seek medical care for cardiovascular problems such as blood clots and abnormal heartbeats compared to those who had not contracted Covid-19.
It is important to note that a correlation between Covid-19 infection and heart damage is not unexpected. Similar to rheumatic fever, an inflammatory reaction to untreated strep throat that can scar the heart’s valves, there may be long-term consequences of Covid-19 on heart health. While further research is needed to fully understand and address these cardiac aftershocks, individuals are urged to prioritize their heart health, particularly if they have pre-existing risk factors such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, poorly controlled diabetes, or smoking.
Given the scale of the pandemic and the impact it has had on heart health, it is crucial to focus on managing and improving cardiovascular health for individuals at risk. The consequences of Covid-19-related heart complications may have far-reaching effects that will reverberate for generations to come.
