An article on Science reports that the most recent coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can cause long-term effects on heart health. The variant can lead to inflammation of the heart (myocarditis), heart cell death, arrhythmias, heart failure, and heart-attack-like symptoms. Some patients experiencing these heart issues only had mild — or even asymptomatic — cases of COVID-19. Researchers are working to determine why some patients are more prone to develop heart issues after COVID-19, since it’s clear that the severity of infection is not a factor. Because these cardiovascular issues can be serious and even fatal, it is imperative that the medical community figure out which patients could be most at risk of developing long-term heart issues after having COVID-19.
News That Matters