Cardiac Involvement Due to COVID-19: Insights from Imaging and Histopathology

Lingering cardiac symptoms are increasingly recognised complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, now referred to as post-acute cardiovascular sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). In the acute phase, cardiac injury is driven by cytokine release and stems from ischaemic and t...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Valentina O Puntmann, Anastasia Shchendrygina, Carlos Rodriguez Bolanos, Mame Madjiguène Ka, Silvia Valbuena, Andreas Rolf, Felicitas Escher, Eike Nagel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Radcliffe Medical Media 2023-10-01
Series:European Cardiology Review
Online Access:https://www.ecrjournal.com/articleindex/ecr.2023.02
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Summary:Lingering cardiac symptoms are increasingly recognised complications of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, now referred to as post-acute cardiovascular sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). In the acute phase, cardiac injury is driven by cytokine release and stems from ischaemic and thrombotic complications, resulting in myocardial necrosis. Patients with pre-existing cardiac conditions are particularly vulnerable. Myocarditis due to a direct viral infection is rare. Chronic symptoms relate to either worsening of pre-existing heart disease (PASC – cardiovascular disease) or delayed chronic inflammatory condition due to heterogenous immune dysregulation (PASC – cardiovascular syndrome), the latter affecting a broad segment of previously well people. Both PASC presentations are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, long-term disability and reduced quality of life. The recognition and management of PASC in clinical settings remains a considerable challenge. Sensitive diagnostic methods are needed to detect subtler inflammatory changes that underlie the persistent symptoms in PASC – cardiovascular syndrome, alongside considerable clinical experience in inflammatory cardiac conditions.
ISSN:1758-3756
1758-3764