Dr. Monish Raut details on the most recent update from the American College of Cardiology (ACC) explaining the cardiac complications of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) with practice pointers for doctors dealing with cardiac patients.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a rapidly spreading pandemic with significant mortality all over the world. Novel coronavirus mainly involves the respiratory system and is transmitted through droplets. However the other systems can also be potentially affected. Recently, the American College of Cardiology (ACC) has explained the cardiac implications of coronavirus infection and also provided the clinical guidance in patients with cardiovascular diseases.

Case reports on Wuhan coronavirus implying cardiac involvement

Associated cardiovascular comorbidity was observed in upto 50% of hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Cerebrovascular or cardiac conditons increases the risk for complications or mortality from COVID-19. Recent data from COVID-19 suggests that ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome) was observed in 19.6% of the patients, arrhythmia in 16.7%, acute cardiac injury in 7.2%, shock in 8.7%, and acute kidney injury in 3.6%. Some patients also developed myocarditis.