Direct cardiotropic effects of sars-cov-2 and its clinical correlation

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus disease 2019 (CO-VID-19) is a clinical entity caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which has become a pandemic in the first half of 2020, dominating the global epidemiological panorama. Although the main affected focus is the respiratory tract, injury of other organs is not infrequent, including the kidneys, the gastrointestinal tract, and the cardiovascular system. In particular, the relationship between cardiovascular disorders and COVID-19 is bidirectional, as the preexistence of cardiovascular disease increases de risk of infection and complications. On the other hand, the infection has also been shown to generate cardiovascular injury via various mechanisms. The increased risk of various cardiovascular events has been documented in patients with COVID-19. Thus, considering cardiovascular function has been recommended in the management of patients with COVID-19, chiefly those with comorbidities. The objective of this review is to evaluate the mechanisms and theories explaining the cardiovascular effects of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, and to recognize its clinical implications.