HEAL YOUR HEART FROM LONG COVID

 BY NORA HESTON TARTE

While scientists are still speculating why the connection between heart disease and long COVID exists, it’s undeniable that those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 could also experience heart-related complications. For many, it’s considered part of long COVID, an ongoing set of symptoms that can last weeks or even months and affect people with both severe and mild disease.

Dr. Ramin Manshadi of the Manshadi Heart Institute says scientists have two main hypotheses when it comes to heart complications after COVID-19. The first is that damage occurs in the cells after the initial viral attack and causes longterm damage and increases the risk of an event. The second is that a hyperactive immune response to COVID-19 leads to heart complications. “We are seeing more and more issues from 30 days post initial symptoms up to one year,” Dr. Manshadi says. In general, there is a significantly higher chance of a major cardiovascular event for up to one year post COVID-19. “One can have not only a heart attack, but [also] can have stroke, myocarditis, pericarditis, and even heart failure.”

So, how do you know if you’re at risk for heart complications related to long COVID? The tricky part is, anyone can experience a heart-related event after getting diagnosed with or even recovering from COVID-19. Dr. Manshadi says those with pre-existing heart disease and those that have had severe COVID-19 symptoms are at higher risk, but even young, asymptomatic patients are at some level of risk.

If you have chest pain, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, or loss of consciousness, further testing is needed and you should contact your physician right away. Tests include an EKG, echo, and blood panels to determine the root cause of symptoms. Doctors specifically may look for traces of troponin, a protein created by the body when the heart muscles are damaged, in the blood, which isn’t present in patients with a healthy heart.

If heart complications are detected, an individualized treatment plan will be made, Dr. Manshadi explains. Many will include treatment with anti-inflammatory medications, but the full protocol will depend on the patient’s history, symptoms, and test results. “The sooner the diagnosis is made, the better,” he says.

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