COVID-19 and Heart

A viral pandemic has hit the globe unexpectedly, the number of COVID cases continues to rise and most of us track the statistics. Data published from Chinese centers mainly “Wuhan” where the pandemic was firstly originated and also from Italy in Europe has demonstrated that cardiac injury is a prominent feature of this disease, occurring in 20% - 30% of hospitalized patients and 40% of mortalities (1-3). We know that some viruses have the tendency to affect theheart, alsoCOVID-19has aparticular affinityformyocardial tissue. The virus uses the so called “ACE” receptors to enter the cell and these receptors exist in lung and myocardial cells (4). Although the cardiac involvement has been shown in many reports, the data specific to different heart disease and COVID-19 is lacking. Heart function can decrease via two major mechanisms: direct invasion of cardiomyocytes with virus (viral myocarditis) and the systemic inflammatory response syndrome triggered by viral infection, also the systemic hypoxemia and organ failure are contributory. Patients with heart disease are more likely to experience myocardial injury with COVID virus and these patients have a higher risk for mortality (5-7). Patients with advanced heart disease like heart failure, are most probably at the greatest risk because they are less tolerant to any insult with borderline organ function.