Introduction: The outbreak of COVID-19 has been linked to an increased risk to heart health, emphasizing the significance of Cardiac Rehabilitation (CR) in tackling these concerns. This review is intended to improve comprehension of the effects of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health and to assist healthcare providers in their care of patients.
Methods:This study employs a comprehensive literature review covering 2019 to 2021, using keywords "Sars-Cov-2" OR "COVID-19" AND "Cardiovascular Diseases" AND "Cardiac Rehabilitation" across various databases. After screening, 321 articles yielded 32 studies for the pooled analysis.
Results: During the outbreak, 14.4% of the individuals developed acute cardiovascular issues, with a mortality rate ranging from 5.6% to 10.5%, surpassing the seasonal flu mortality rates. Patients post-COVID-19 exhibit similar clinical manifestations, necessitating rehabilitation to enhance their quality of life and prevent future complications. Amidst the pandemic, cardiac rehabilitation centers have shifted to virtual or telemedicine rehabilitation owing to interruptions in regular services.
Discussion: COVID-19 commonly triggers myocarditis, heart failure (HF), arrhythmias, and venous thromboembolism (VTE). Pre-hospital diagnostics and post-discharge follow-up via telemedicine rehabilitation present effective strategies for managing patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), offering additional clinical insights for cardiologists to diagnose and differentially diagnose patients without in-person consultations.
Conclusion: COVID-19 survivors face potential CVD complications, underscoring the need for CR to improve the quality of life and mitigate CVD risks post-exposure. This rehabilitation approach holds promise for reducing mortality among patients with post-COVID-19 heart disease.