Epidemiology, prognosis, and clinical manifestation of cardiovascular disease in COVID-19

ABSTRACT

Introduction

At the end of 2019, a novel coronavirus was identified as the cause of a pneumonia cluster in Wuhan, China. Since then, the contagion has rapidly spread all over the world resulting in a global pandemic. Since frequent cardiovascular (CV) system involvement has soon been detected in patients occurring coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we would provide a simple review available to cardiologists who are going to be involved in the management of COVID-19 patients from several levels: from diagnosis to prevention and management of CV complications.

Areas covered

We investigate the role of CV diseases in COVID-19: from the incidence of CV comorbidities to their negative impact on prognosis. We also search Literature in order to identify the main CV manifestations in patients occurring virus infection and their management by cardiologists.

Expert opinion

Specific treatments for CV involvement associated with COVID-19 are still debated. Results from ongoing trials are needed to further clarify issues about the therapeutic approach, which is constantly changing according to the continuous flow of published evidence. Finally, it seems necessary to sensitize all population to raise awareness on CV diseases in the COVID era, to hinder the underestimation of both new-onset acute CV diseases and the consequences of chronic mistreated CV diseases.

KEYWORDS:

• Coronavirus infection
• COVID-19
• cardiovascular risk factors
• cardiovascular disease
• myocardial damage

Article highlights

• CV diseases and risk factors have worse prognosis and higher mortality in COVID-19

• Direct toxicity, inflammation, and thrombosis are responsible for CV events

• Referral to cardiology should include assessment for thrombotic and bleeding risk

• Risk of cardiac adverse events must be closely monitored during COVID-19 treatment.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

C Santoro and F Ilardi are supported by a research grant from the international PhD programme in Cardiovascular Pathophysiology and Therapeutics CardioPath.