Should you consult a heart doctor if you have lingering COVID-19 symptoms?

People experiencing prolonged COVID-19 or 'Long Covid' may consider the possibility of an underlying heart condition depending on their symptoms. 

Dr Rito Mitra, a leading consultant cardiologist, considers and advises how mild cases of COVID with lingering issues are worth speaking to your doctor about.    

Does COVID-19 affect the heart?

We know that SARS-CoV-2, the organism behind COVID-19, not only causes lung infection but has major implications for the heart. 

Can 'Long COVID' cause long term heart damage?

There is literally a maze of information around COVID-19 available on the internet now and this can be confusing. Many of us have either had COVID-19 during this pandemic or know people who have. Some have suffered badly and some only have mild illness; some of the people I know have had no symptoms at all but were discovered to have COVID after random swab tests which became common in the healthcare environment. Having said all of that, we know that most people bounce back to their usual selves within a few weeks.

How does COVID affect pre-existing health conditions?

Some people, however, continue to experience symptoms for a much longer time and one may have seen numerous articles in the press about ‘Long COVID’. You would imagine this sort of problem would be mainly related to people who have had a severe illness; they may well have had risk factors which make tolerating COVID much worse, such as pre-existing significant heart or lung disease, an immune problem, advanced age, diabetes and significant obesity to name a few. However, we are finding that, interestingly, many of these ‘long-haul’ Covid cases may well have had only mild symptoms during their infection.

What is COVID-19 doing inside the heart?

Not all people have heart-related issues but we know that this virus can cause an inflammation inside the heart. This inflammation targets the heart muscle itself which can get weak with an unpredictable recovery. Further, the lining of the small arteries supplying the heart muscle with blood may get stressed causing micro or macro-heart attacks of different kinds. Heart-rhythm disturbances can occur as well and these can manifest commonly as palpitations.

What are the COVID symptoms which might relate to an underlying heart condition?

Continuing fatigue, breathlessness, chest pain or palpitations are a few things we watch out for. In these cases, a physical check up with the doctor is unlikely to yield a definite diagnosis and typically, cardiologists have to run tests such as electrocardiograms or ECGs perhaps blood tests, heart monitors and heart scans to get better information. 

Your family doctor or a heart specialist will be able to guide you if you need further information.

Dr Mitra is a leading consultant cardiologist in Wales. Don't hesitate to get in touch with him here.