Deleterious effects of viral pneumonia on cardiovascular system

Abstract

Viral pneumonia has a significant effect on the cardiovascular system through various mechanisms; even though it is traditionally regarded as a pulmonary disease characterized by dyspnoea and hypoxaemia. Recent research works have shown that cardiovascular events outweigh all other causes of death in various influenza pandemics. Therefore, the exploration of the effects of viral pneumonia on cardiovascular system becomes increasingly essential. The objective of this review is three-fold: first, to summarize the knowledge about the epidemiological characteristics and clinical manifestations of viral infections that are the recent causes of global pandemics; second, to explore the cardiovascular response to these infections; and third, to attempt in identifying the possible coping strategies of the Wuhan epidemic and the future viral infection pandemics.

Prognostic utility of quantitative offline 2D‐echocardiography in hospitalized patients with COVID‐19 disease

“…This technique, which has the advantage of being almost angle-independent and less affected by ventricular morphology, 17 Indeed, SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect the heart leading to immune cell recruitment and myocarditis 22 and impact the microvasculature via its effects on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, triggering microvascular obstruction and tissue ischemia. 23 Importantly, pro-inflammatory cytokines upregulated in patients with severe COVID-19 21 have the potential to trigger cardiomyocyte dysfunction and cardiac depression as already well described in other inflammatory conditions such as sepsis. 24…”

Observations on echocardiographic findings in patients with COVID-19

“…Viral pneumonias have recently emerged as a great threat to global public health (1). Most recently, the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is known to cause severe pneumonia has reaped global havoc affecting even the most substantial health care systems in the world.…”

“…Most recently, the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is known to cause severe pneumonia has reaped global havoc affecting even the most substantial health care systems in the world. As with most viral pneumonias, a strong relationship between cardiovascular disease and COVID-19 has been noted (1). More speci cally, COVID-19 caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a single-stranded RNA virus, has its deleterious effect by binding to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor expressed in alveolar cells, vascular endothelium, intestinal epithelial cells, kidneys and the heart (2)(3)(4).…”

“…In fact, cardiac injury was observed to confer a higher risk of mortality for such inpatients (11). Although, the mechanistic awareness of how SARS-CoV-2 causes myocardial damage is still unknown; hypoxaemia induced pulmonary hypertension, systemic in ammation resulting in increased afterload, worsening cardiac function and direct invasion of the virus into the myocardium resulting in myocarditis are possible mechanisms of injury (1,12).…”

Return to sports after COVID-19: a position paper from the Dutch Sports Cardiology Section of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology

“…Studies on critically ill, hospitalised patients have shown that infection with SARS-CoV-2 is associated with several cardiovascular complications [5][6][7][8]. The mechanism of cardiac injury from COVID- 19 has not yet been fully elucidated, but is likely multifactorial [9,10]. For an overview of all described complications, see Tab.…”