CHENNAI: There is a large number of people admi t ted t o hospitals due to various cardiovascular risk factors, such as cardiac decompensation, heart failure, heart attack, and cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Cardiovascular complications are mainly associated with obesity (which is growing alarmingly), hypertension, diabetes, sedentary lifestyle and cholesterol, according to Dr Ashok Kumar,senior consultant – interventional cardiologist,Rela Hospital.
According to a study published by the WHO in March 2021, COVID-19 is the third leading cause of death, behind heart disease and cancer. Covid affects not only the lungs but also the heart. “We have seen that 80 per cent of patients discharged after Covid — regardless of whether the condition was mild, moderate, or severe — have some heart sequelae too,” he added.
Covid generates fibrosis in the lungs and affects other organs within the human body such as the heart, liver or pancreas. In the case of the heart, it goes to the heart muscle and inflames it, causing a myocarditis, followed by an arrhythmia and heart attack. People with established risk factors like high blood pressure, previous cardiac arrhythmias, heart failure or other comorbidities might encounter a more severe image of cardiac complicat ions. This should not be taken lightly.
Dr Ashok elaborated, “During the pandemic, mortality by heart attacks has doubled. Before Covid, not al l heart attacks caused death. Of every four persons with heart attacks, three were saved. But now, two lose their lives.”
After Covid, patients must schedule periodic visits to the cardiologist since some sequelae could be seen as not related to the heart. A check-up can better determine this. The pulmonary fibrosis leading to hypertension could end up in heart failure in a few years, if left unaddressed, he said.