Kumar N, Verma R, Lohana P, Lohana A, Ramphul K. Acute myocardial infarction in COVID-19 patients. A review of cases in the literature.
Arch Med Sci Atheroscler Dis 2021;
6:e169-e175. [PMID:
34703946 PMCID:
PMC8525248 DOI:
10.5114/amsad.2021.109287]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
COVID-19 is an ongoing pandemic that has lasted more than a year. Patients with multiple comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, and smoking have been shown to be at increased risk of a more severe course and lethal outcome. Since the disease can also lead to a hypercoagulable state, several cases of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have also been recorded.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
We searched PubMed/Medline for case reports of AMI occurring in COVID-19 positive patients using "acute myocardial infarction", "COVID-19", and "SARS-CoV-2" as keywords.
RESULTS
Thirty-three articles covering 37 patients were identified, among which 30 (81.1%) were male, and 7 (18.9%) were females. The mean age of these 37 patients was 52.8 ±15.6 years. Most cases were from the United States (17 cases, 45.9%). Several comorbidities such as hypertension (16 cases, 43.2%), diabetes (14 cases, 37.8%), smoking (8 cases, 21.6%), obesity (3 cases, 8.1%), morbid obesity (1 case, 2.7%), and elevated lipid levels (4 cases, 10.8%) were also identified. The most common symptom of AMI was chest tightness (22 cases, 59.5%), while the most common symptoms for COVID-19 were dyspnoea (25 cases, 67.6%) and fever (22 cases, 59.5%). The mortality rate was 35.1%.
CONCLUSIONS
Given the high mortality rate, physicians are encouraged to properly check for signs of cardiac dysfunction and possible AMI while treating COVID-19 positive patients with several comorbidities or previous history of AMI.
Collapse