August 2022
COVID-19
Timothy D Henry and Santiago Garcia, Editors
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the care of patients with cardiovascular disease throughout the world. COVID-19 has a myriad of direct effects on the myocardium, vasculature, and coagulation cascade, related to the proinflammatory and prothrombotic effects of the virus, leading to an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, deep venous thrombosis, and pulmonary emboli within the first 2 to 4 weeks of contracting the disease. Patients with preexistent cardiovascular disease and/or cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, are particularly susceptible to suffer complications from COVID-19, including hospitalization and mortality. Among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, myocardial injury, as detected by elevated troponins, is highly prevalent (20%–40%) and linked to adverse prognosis.
