“Few studies have reported presentation of myocarditis in patients who were infected with coronavirus infection. It is a condition in which inflammation happens in the heart muscles, which may result in abnormal functioning of the heart.”
Punjab Rattan awardee, Dr. Rajneesh Kapoor while speaking on World Heart Day on Tuesday said, “ There are chances that patients who are infected with coronavirus may present with heart-related symptoms such as breathing problems, chest pain, changes in ECG, and rise in troponin levels.”
Dr Kapoor who is working as vice chairman of interventional cardiology at Medanta, The Medicity further informed that Coronavirus infection is a disease that causes inflammation by means of the release of interleukins and cytokine storm. It can affect the heart by causing inflammation of heart muscles, known as myocarditis. It may also lead to occlusion in the arteries, which can lead to a heart attack. Hence patients who are infected with coronavirus should be treated for heart disease if they show signs.
The good news is that the harmful effects of COVID infection on the heart resolve once the infection subsides or is gone. This greatly increases the possibility of patients having normal heart function in later life, he opined.
On this World heart day, our appeal to the people is to continue taking steps towards the prevention of heart disease as they have been doing in the pre-COVID times. Most important is to exercise 45 minutes a day, keep BP-sugar-cholesterol-weight in control, sleep for at least 7 hours a day, quit smoking and excessive alcohol intake, manage stress.
“And don’t be afraid to show at a hospital if there are signs of a heart attack. It is an emergency condition and must be treated in the first 8 hours or golden period. The hospitals are safe to visit and all necessary measures are being taken to prevent corona infection” he said.
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