Does Covid-19 lead to more cardiovascular complications?

In a press release, the National Academy of Medicine indicates that a “clinical cardiovascular monitoring is essential in all subjects with a Covid-19 infection, even mild.. For the authority, the Covid and cardiovascular diseases maintain “Dangerous Liaisons“.

Work with worrying results

The Covid-19 virus, Sars-Cov-2 has the ability to bind to a receptor present – ​​the ACE2 enzyme – in blood vessel cells. This is the reason why Covid is more at risk of a serious form in patients who are cardiovascularly fragile. “Until now, (lasting) cardiovascular sequelae have only been reported in hospitalized patients, in small series and with a short follow-up period. adds the Sages of the Academy of Medicine.

But the instance is based on scientific work on the subject and a large study conducted in the United States and published in February in the journal Nature, suggests “a significant increase in cardiovascular disease worldwide”.

A work that brought together more than 150,000 veterans

The study in question looked at more than 150,000 US Army veterans, all with Covid-19, compared to a control group not affected by the virus. The researchers studied the cardiovascular disorders that occurred in the year following their infection.

The authors’ conclusions are clear:Beyond the 30 days following infection, individuals with covid-19 have a higher risk of cardiovascular disorders., in particular infarction, stroke or inflammation of the heart. For the authors, this risk exists even for patients who have not been hospitalized.

The question therefore arises of patients with a mild form of Covid-19: are they also more at risk of cardiac disorders?

A study with limitations

Obviously, and like many scientific studies, this one has its limits. The first concerns the study population. In choosing veterans, the researchers focused on older men. In addition, the work of scientists is not clear as to the date of onset of cardiovascular disorders. The delay plays a considerable role because the disease will not be responsible in the same way, a month or a year after its occurrence. “Indeed, a cardiovascular event that occurs 15 days after a Covid infection can raise the question of the link between the two pathologies. explains Florian Zorès, cardiologist in Strasbourg.

Inflammation that promotes cardiovascular disorders

For the cardiologist, the link between Covid-19 and cardiovascular pathology deserves to be posed. “There may be a link, but it’s not as catastrophic as that” tempers the specialist. “The virus is known to attack vessel cells and create inflammation which itself promotes cardiovascular events. But we cannot transpose certain study results to the general population. We find in the press release of the Academy of Medicine a study which reports 40% of pericarditis in its conclusions: this figure is not true in the general population, fortunately! concludes the cardiologist.