tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Cureus
. 2021 Aug 31;13(8):e17590.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.17590. eCollection 2021 Aug.
Long COVID Syndrome and Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: An Unwelcome Combination
Tahir Nazir[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hlaing Myat Chit Su[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paul Mann[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Niall Clancy[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Leila Kargar[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
Since the report of the first case from China in late 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread very rapidly through the countries and regions leaving a trail of devastation in its path, everywhere. Although COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness mainly affecting the lungs; involvement of other organs including the cardiovascular system has been widely recognized. Whilst COVID-19 is an acute illness for a majority of cases; some of the debilitating virus-related symptoms can last for weeks and months, and are collectively termed as long COVID syndrome. Several published reports have described an association between acute COVID-19 illness and cardiac complications such as myocarditis and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. However, little is known about any link between long COVID syndrome and the cardiac disease. We describe the case of a middle-aged woman with long COVID syndrome who presented with central chest pain and breathlessness. Her initial investigations showed an elevated cardiac troponin I and ischemic changes on 12 lead ECG. She was initially treated for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. A subsequent coronary angiogram showed unobstructed coronary vessels and left ventricle (LV) gram demonstrated apical LV ballooning. She was managed conservatively and was discharged home following her clinical improvement. This case highlights the importance of holistic assessment of patients presenting with chest pain with the background of long COVID syndrome. It also outlines an emergent need to better understand pathophysiological mechanisms that underpin the development of cardiac complications in those with COVID-19 and long COVID syndrome.
Keywords: broken-heart syndrome; cardiomyopathy; covid 19; heart failure; long covid syndrome.
. 2021 Aug 31;13(8):e17590.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.17590. eCollection 2021 Aug.
Long COVID Syndrome and Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy: An Unwelcome Combination
Tahir Nazir[SUP] 1 [/SUP], Hlaing Myat Chit Su[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Paul Mann[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Niall Clancy[SUP] 2 [/SUP], Leila Kargar[SUP] 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34646643
- PMCID: PMC8482351
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.17590
Abstract
Since the report of the first case from China in late 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread very rapidly through the countries and regions leaving a trail of devastation in its path, everywhere. Although COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness mainly affecting the lungs; involvement of other organs including the cardiovascular system has been widely recognized. Whilst COVID-19 is an acute illness for a majority of cases; some of the debilitating virus-related symptoms can last for weeks and months, and are collectively termed as long COVID syndrome. Several published reports have described an association between acute COVID-19 illness and cardiac complications such as myocarditis and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. However, little is known about any link between long COVID syndrome and the cardiac disease. We describe the case of a middle-aged woman with long COVID syndrome who presented with central chest pain and breathlessness. Her initial investigations showed an elevated cardiac troponin I and ischemic changes on 12 lead ECG. She was initially treated for non-ST elevation myocardial infarction. A subsequent coronary angiogram showed unobstructed coronary vessels and left ventricle (LV) gram demonstrated apical LV ballooning. She was managed conservatively and was discharged home following her clinical improvement. This case highlights the importance of holistic assessment of patients presenting with chest pain with the background of long COVID syndrome. It also outlines an emergent need to better understand pathophysiological mechanisms that underpin the development of cardiac complications in those with COVID-19 and long COVID syndrome.
Keywords: broken-heart syndrome; cardiomyopathy; covid 19; heart failure; long covid syndrome.