Cardiovascular risk factors linked to COVID-19 complications

Patients with cardiovascular comorbidities or risk factors are more likely to develop cardiovascular complications while hospitalized and more likely to die from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS One.

In the new study, researchers analyzed data from 21 published observational studies on a total of 77,317 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in Asia, Europe, and the United States. At the time they were admitted to the hospital, 12.89 percent of the patients had cardiovascular comorbidities, 36.08 percent had hypertension, and 19.45 percent had diabetes.

Cardiovascular complications were documented during the hospital stay of 14.09 percent of the COVID-19 patients. The most common of these complications were arrhythmias or palpitations. A significant number of patients also had myocardial injury, according to the study.

When the researchers analyzed the data, they found that pre-existing cardiovascular comorbidities or risk factors were significant predictors of cardiovascular complications, but age and gender were not, the study said. Both age and pre-existing cardiovascular comorbidities or risk factors were significant predictors of death.

For most people, the COVID-19 causes mild illness, however it can generate severe pneumonia and lead to death in others. It is crucial for clinicians working with cardiovascular patients to understand the clinical presentation and risk factors for COVID-19 infection in this group, the researchers said.