COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Complications: A Follow-Up Study from Tertiary Center.

(1)

Background

In addition to its fatal outcomes, COVID-19 is associated with a spectrum of non-fatal complications that significantly influence clinical trajectories and quality of life. Cardiovascular complications, in particular, are of major clinical relevance and are recognized as key contributors to both short- and long-term morbidity and mortality. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the short-term and long-term effects of COVID-19 infection on patients with underlying cardiovascular diseases. (2)

Methods

The prospective cohort study included a total of 99 consecutive subjects hospitalized due to moderate and severe forms of COVID-19 pneumonia in "Zvezdara"-University Medical Center in the period of 18 March-18 April 2021. (3)

Results

During hospitalization, 47% of patients had some new cardiovascular events. A total of 10 patients died during hospital stay. The highest chance for the lethal outcome was seen in those with previously diagnosed coronary heart disease (B = 3.356, OR = 28.667 (95% CI 2.69-305.14), p = 0.005), heart failure (B = 3.056, OR = 21.250 (95% CI 3.36-134.56), p = 0.001) and increased potassium values (B = 2.639, OR = 14.000 (95% CI 2.65-73.88), p = 0.002). (4)

Conclusions

Care strategies for patients who survived the acute episode of COVID-19 should include attention to cardiovascular disease. Our findings emphasize the need for continued optimization of strategies for primary prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infections as the best way to prevent long COVID and serious cardiovascular complications.