Doctors across the country are observing two cardiac manifestations, although sporadic, among COVID patients — heart attacks, and the more concerning sudden cardiac deaths, said senior cardiologist and director of Division of Pacing and Electrophysiology at KIMS Hospitals, B. Hygriv Rao.
He said that cardiologists across the country have observed heart attacks due to clots in arteries. This cardiac manifestation was observed even among people as young as 23 or 24 years old and with no risk factors such as diabetes or hypertension. It is believed to be an inflammatory response to COVID. Many of these patients may not require stents or bypass surgery.
“More concerning is sudden cardiac deaths among patients who were recovering on ventilator or had been shifted out of ICU,” he said adding that only detailed systematic study or autopsies will help understand more about the reasons leading to the cardiac conditions.