How COVID-19 affects the further work of the heart, scientists have established

COVID-19 disease can cause potentially life-threatening heart problems.

This was established by the results of a study conducted by a group of American scientists from Columbia University, EurekAlert reports.

So, scientists have found that people from COVID-19:

• 55% more likely to suffer serious adverse cardiovascular events, including heart attack, stroke and death, than those who do not have COVID-19;
• are more likely to have other heart problems, such as arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle).

Further research showed that in the heart tissues of patients who recovered from COVID-19, the following are observed:

• increased oxidative stress (harmful production of unstable molecules) and inflammatory signals, as well as changes in calcium channels (ion channels that allow calcium ions to pass through the lipid membranes of living organisms);
• adverse changes in the RyR2 protein, which is responsible for regulating the level of calcium ions in the heart.

The heart muscle, like all muscle cells, requires calcium ions to contract. The cardiac calcium ion control system is essential for the coordinated contractions of the atria and ventricles, which pump blood throughout the body. When the level of calcium in the heart is disturbed, it can lead to arrhythmia or heart failure, the article notes.

To confirm the identified patterns, scientists in further experiments used a mouse infected with COVID-19. As a result, researchers have documented the same negative effects seen in the hearts of people infected with COVID-19.

The more you know about certain aspects of a disease, the more likely you are to improve patient care. And doctors should be aware of changes in the heart associated with COVID-19 infection, and look for them, scientists say.

Source: EurekAlert

Source: Racurs

David

I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.