Heart Inflammation In Healthy People Linked to COVID

Research is showing a heart condition linked to COVID-19 can occur in people with no regard for age, sex or underlying conditions.

Cardiologist Dr. Ashley Nickerson with Tennessee Heart said COVID-19 can bring on an inflammatory condition, called Myocarditis, that could potentially infect the heart muscle itself. Nickerson said typically, Myocarditis had been linked to underlying conditions.

“In the long term effects of who develops this Myocardial inflammation or Myocarditis it does not seem to be linked to underlying conditions and therefor athletes and otherwise healthy individuals could be at risk for this,” Nickerson said.

COVID-19 can trigger an immune response that can lead to the formation of blood clots in the heart and lungs. In a German study, 100 people who have recovered from COVID-19 were given a cardiac MRI and 60% of those patients showed evidence of Myocarditis.

“Even though the person who has recovered from COVID may not know or feel as if there’s anything else going on, they still can have some inflammation or evidence of inflammation in their Myocardial tissue which is quite alarming,” Nickerson said.

Myocarditis has been a trigger for multiple sports leagues to consider cancelling sports seasons. Though the short-term impacts of COVID-19 appear to be less for young people, Myocarditis shows a potential long-term effect.

“It really just sort of demonstrates how little we know about this virus and how much we are still needing to learn,” Nickerson said.

Nickerson said 5 percent to 25 percent of COVID-19 patients have cardiac involvement.