Emergency Room Doctors Publish Guide on Cardiovascular Complications of COVID-19
Researchers from UVA Health have recently published a paper with the intent on educating emergency room physicians about the cardiac complications of COVID-19.
Researchers from UVA Health have recently published a paper with the intent on educating emergency room physicians about the cardiac complications of COVID-19.
The research, published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, was designed to help non-cardiologists keep up with the ever-changing science of the disease so that they can treat their patients most effectively, explains William Brady, MD lead author on the paper.
"In writing this article, we hope to increase emergency physicians' knowledge and awareness of this new pathogen and its impact on the cardiovascular system," said Brady, of UVA's Department of Emergency Medicine. "As we encounter more and more patients with COVID-19-related illness, we are increasing our understanding of its impact on the body in general and the cardiovascular system in particular. The rate of learning on this area is amazingly rapid. Information continues to change weekly, if not daily."
The study addresses the high numbers of heart failure among COVID-19 patients (24% according to one study), the increase in plaque ruptures due to widespread inflammation, and the cardiovascular implications of drugs used to treat the disease such as hydroxychloroquine and the anti-viral Remdesivir.
Long B, Brady WJ, Koyfman A, Gottlieb M. Cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 [published online ahead of print, 2020 Apr 18]. Am J Emerg Med. 2020;S0735-6757(20)30277-1. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2020.04.048
