Doctors say that while the recovery rate is encouraging for many Covid-positive patients in India, there are some after-effects of the disease, which can cause long-term health issues. In fact, a recent study by the Oxford journal has revealed nearly 50 per cent of people hospitalised with severe COVID-19 have shown evidence of heart damage months after recovering from the disease.
It, therefore, becomes important for patients to get their heart checked after making recovery, Dr
Ravi Kumar, senior consultant and clinical lead, Heart Failure and
Transplantation, MGM Healthcare, tells indianexpress.com.
“COVID-19 infection triggers inflammation in the body that may lead to weakening of the heart muscle, abnormalities in heart rhythm, and even cause clot formation in blood vessels. Second, the virus may directly invade receptor cells, known as ACE2 receptors, within the myocardial tissue and cause direct viral harm. These complications — such as myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart muscle, could lead to an increase in heart failure overtime. For people with pre-existing heart diseases, this can result in advancement in the issue or rise of different heart.
Heart failure
Dr Kumar says that heart failure occurs when the “heart muscle
doesn’t pump blood as well as it should”. “Certain conditions — such as
narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood
pressure — gradually leave your heart weak or stiff to fill and pump
efficiently. This is a chronic condition and it gets worse. Medications and
therapy can help a patient live longer and better with it. Heart failure can be
fatal depending on the severity.”
The doctor advises that for patients who have recently developed
chest pains post-COVID-19, or had a minor heart disease prior to being
infected, getting an imaging test can be helpful. “The test can show if the
virus has caused lasting damage to the heart muscles. It is advised even for
people who only experienced mild COVID-19 symptoms.”
Dr Kumar states some patients develop chronic heart muscle weakness
and cardiac enlargement, and low heart ejection fraction after viral illnesses
— a condition called ‘dilated cardiomyopathy’.
Cardiomyopathies are known to worsen after diseases like Covid. This may lead to heart failure.
The treatment
In the initial stages of heart failure, medication can help manage
the condition, in case of advanced heart failure, treatment options such an
LVAD procedure or a heart transplant along with therapy are necessary. “An LVAD
(left ventricular assist device) helps the left ventricle (main pumping chamber
of the heart) pump blood to the rest of the body. It is a feasible and safe
option for management of the condition,” recommends Dr Kumar.
Comments
Post a Comment