Urgent Need for Studies of the Late Effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the Cardiovascular System
Joseph J. Maleszewski, Phillip M. Young, Michael J. Ackerman, Marc K. Halushka
Abstract
COVID-19 are not associated with true myocarditis in most cases and suggest a more frequent secondary and perhaps transient heart involvement.More autopsy studies, both acute and delayed relative to infection, will contextualize our understanding of the pathobiology of SARS-CoV-2.A diverse set of cardiovascular effects of COVID-19 will likely be seen, and it is essential to calculate each population's risk and understand their time courses.It would be unwise to have the tail wag the dog on policy decisions or predictions of long-term needs of the health care system where extremely rare outcomes guide the overall approach to the disease.We must properly gauge the frequency of late cardiovascular events from much larger and robust data sources.Ultimately, there is a need to balance the long-term societal COVID-19 health risks with other considerations of individual physical, mental, and emotional health.