Your COVID-era Heart

If you've had COVID, you're not alone, studies suggest 40 to 60 percent of Americans have contracted some form of the virus. The US Government Accountability Office estimates that as many as 23 million people are battling "long COVID" for four or more weeks after the onset of symptoms. Perhaps one of the most disheartening side-effects is the coronavirus's impact on our tickers. Long-haulers have reported heart palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath and other concerning symptoms.

Viral infections can inflame and damage heart tissue, restricting blood flow and leading to clots. When viruses affect the lungs, it also can be harder for the body to supply oxygen-rich blood to the heart—which is especially dangerous for people with pre-existing heart disease. Some believe this lack of blood flow also could be linked to COVID "brain fog." One study found that people 51 to 81 who have had the virus lost more gray brain matter and experienced more shrinkage than those who have remained COVID-free.

These symptoms and other silent heart damage can persist up to a year post-COVID.

A recent study published in Nature Medicine studied 154,000 veterans who have had COVID-19 to examine the effects on their hearts. A year after contracting the virus, patients still had an increased risk for cardiovascular problems, including heart rhythm irregularities, heart inflammation, blood clots, strokes, myocardial infarctions and strokes.

Heart failure risk increased by 72%, heart attack by 63% and stroke by 52%. What was most surprising was that the majority of the veterans were not people who had several symptoms or were hospitalized—they'd had mild to acute COVID symptoms. While the researchers predicted that risks would be higher in people with pre-existing cardiovascular problems before COVID, they found that the virus was an "equal opportunity offender" that impacted people's hearts regardless of gender, race, whether they smoked or had diabetes.

It's great if you've managed to dodge the virus so far. However, that doesn't mean your heart is in the clear—especially if you're a woman.

Heart disease kills a woman every 80 seconds, and the strain of the COVID-era isn't helping. According to one study about women and the workforce, women feel more burned out and under pressure than men. This may be from the stress of managing family pressures during the pandemic and the more sedentary lifestyle of working from home or quarantining. Stress is a factor, as cortisol can increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar and blood pressure.

So, whether you've had coronavirus or not, it might be time to see if the pandemic has given you a change of heart.

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