In a new scientific paper published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, UVA Health emergency medicine physicians and colleagues share details on the serious cardiovascular complications of COVID-19, including heart failure, heart attacks and blood clots that can lead to strokes. They also caution that COVID-19 treatments can interact with medicines used to manage patients’ existing cardiovascular conditions.
The authors note that much attention has been paid to the pulmonary complications of COVID-19, but less has been said about the cardiovascular complications that can lead to death or lasting impairment. “In writing this article, we hope to increase emergency physicians’ knowledge and awareness of this new pathogen and its impact on the cardiovascular system,” says William Brady, MD. “As we encounter more and more patients with COVID-19-related illness, we are increasing our understanding of its impact on the body in general and the cardiovascular system in particular. The rate of learning on this area is amazingly rapid. Information continues to change weekly, if not daily.”
Updated May 19, 2020