Heart Disease and COVID-19: What is the Link and How to Prevent It?

 Heart Disease and COVID-19: What is the Link and How to Prevent It?

COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that can affect many parts of your body, including your heart. Some people who have COVID-19 may develop heart problems, which can increase their risk of developing heart disease in the future. In this article, we will explore how COVID-19 affects the heart, what types of heart problems it can cause, and how you can prevent them.

How does COVID-19 affect the heart?

There are several ways in which COVID-19 can affect the heart. Let's examine these in more detail.

Direct infection

The virus that causes COVID-19 binds to a protein called ACE2 to enter cells in your body. Besides the lungs, ACE2 can be found in many organs and tissues throughout your body, including your heart and blood vessels. As such, it is possible that the virus is able to directly infect cells in your heart and blood vessels, leading to their damage.

Immune response

COVID-19 causes an increase in the levels of inflammation in your body. This rise in inflammation is caused by the immune system as it works to respond to the infection. However, the immune response can be a double-edged sword. When it becomes too intense, it can actually cause damage to healthy tissues, including the heart.

Low oxygen levels

It is also possible that heart damage happens because the heart is getting less oxygen. This can happen when the lungs are severely affected by COVID-19. It is also possible for the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart to be disrupted by the presence of blood clots, which can happen during COVID-19. These blood clots are believed to be caused by high levels of inflammation. When the organs and tissues of your body do not get enough oxygen, they can begin to die. Furthermore, when your heart is not getting enough oxygen itself, it is more difficult for it to effectively pump oxygen-rich blood to other parts of your body.

Stress cardiomyopathy

Stress cardiomyopathy is also known as Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Cardiomyopathy is a condition affecting the heart muscle that makes it more difficult for your heart to pump blood. High levels of physical or emotional stress can lead to stress cardiomyopathy. Having COVID-19 can potentially lead to both of these types of stress.

What types of heart problems can COVID-19 cause?

A 2022 study found that the potential heart problems after COVID-19 are very diverse. It compared a group of 153,760 U.S. veterans who had COVID-19 to two control groups of veterans that had no history of COVID-19. Compared to both control groups, participants who had COVID-19 had an increased risk of the following heart problems over a period of 12 months:

- Arrhythmia: Arrhythmia is when your heart beats too quickly, too slowly, or irregularly. Some types of arrhythmia can be life threatening.

- Blood clots: Blood clots are clumps of blood that can potentially block blood vessels, leading to complications like deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and heart attack.

- Cardiomyopathy: Cardiomyopathy is a condition affecting the heart muscle that makes it more difficult for your heart to pump blood.

- Heart attack: Heart attack is when the flow of blood to a part of the heart is blocked, causing damage to the heart muscle.

- Heart failure: Heart failure is when the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the needs of the body.

- Pericarditis: Pericarditis is when the sac that surrounds the heart becomes inflamed, causing chest pain and difficulty breathing.

- Stroke: Stroke is when the flow of blood to a part of the brain is interrupted, causing brain damage.

How can you prevent COVID-19-related heart problems?

The best way to prevent COVID-19-related heart problems is to avoid getting COVID-19 in the first place. You can do this by getting the COVID-19 vaccine, masking when appropriate, and avoiding people who are sick. The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective, and it can protect you from severe illness and complications from COVID-19.

If you already have COVID-19, you should follow the advice of your health care provider and monitor your symptoms. Seek medical attention if you experience any signs of heart problems, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, or fainting. You may need to take medications or undergo procedures to treat your heart condition.

If you have a history of heart disease or risk factors for heart disease, you should also manage your condition and control your risk factors. These include:

- Quitting smoking

- Eating a healthy diet

- Exercising regularly

- Maintaining a healthy weight

- Managing stress

- Taking your prescribed medications

- Checking your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels

By taking these steps, you can reduce your risk of developing or worsening heart problems due to COVID-19.

Conclusion

COVID-19 can affect the heart in various ways, and it can cause different types of heart problems. Some of these problems can be serious and long-lasting, and they can increase your risk of developing heart disease in the future. Therefore, it is important to prevent COVID-19 by getting vaccinated, masking, and avoiding exposure. If you have COVID-19, you should seek medical help if you have any signs of heart problems. If you have a history of heart disease or risk factors for heart disease, you should also manage your condition and control your risk factors. By doing so, you can protect your heart and your health from COVID-19.