Virus damages heart

If they catch COVID, they should request a follow-up examination after they recover to detect any further heart damage from the virus. Patients without known heart disease who get COVID should follow up with their primary care doctor. Tests may be recommended if symptoms such as weakness, shortness of breath or chest pain persist after recovery, since these problems could be due to COVIDrelated damage to the lungs or heart. Can Coronavirus Cause Heart Damage? Temporary or lasting damage to heart tissue can be due to several factors: Lack of oxygen.

Stay on Top of Your Heart Health If you have a new or existing heart problem, it's vital to see a doctor. Check your heart health. Cytokine Storm: A Serious Coronavirus Complication Most serious of all, Michos says, is the possibility of the immune system launching an attack on the invading virus that is so severe that it destroys healthy tissues. Learn more. He was only eight days old. Since that tragedy, the couple have organized a walk to raise awareness of myocarditis and to raise funds for research towards a cure.

Some cells work to repair tissue damaged by the infection, while others fight off infection. But these fighting cells may actually contribute to further damage by causing inflammation in surrounding tissue, even after a virus has been cleared. When this occurs, the heart may become enlarged and weakened, leading to low blood pressure and fluid in the lungs.

While this severe form of myocarditis is rare, recent studies have suggested that a milder form of heart muscle inflammation may be much more common than previously recognized. A recent study showed that asymptomatic heart inflammation was seen on magnetic resonance imaging in up to three-quarters of patients who had recovered from severe COVID Increased oxygen demand and decreased oxygen supply lead to heart damage.

Fever and infection cause the heart rate to speed up, increasing the work of the heart in COVID patients who develop pneumonia. Blood pressure may drop or spike, causing further stress on the heart, and the resulting increase in oxygen demand can lead to heart damage, especially if the heart arteries or muscle were unhealthy to begin with.

Heart damage is most often caused by heart attacks, which result from the formation of a blood clot in a vulnerable heart artery, blocking delivery of oxygen to the heart muscle. In rare cases, patients can develop fulminant sudden heart failure. Their survival then depends on getting a heart transplant. Remember: Do not take flu symptoms lightly.

Avoid strenuous exercise when having the flu. This reduces undue stress on the heart which might be inflamed from the viral infection. Seek emergency medical help if you feel unwell following a bout of flu. Font size. User name field is required Password field is required. Forgot password? Don't have an account? Sign up! News Video. Welcome back!