Cardio-Round-Up: Breathlessness in Long COVID May Indicate Heart Damage; and More

Breathlessness With ‘Long COVID’ May Point to Heart Damage

Shortness of breath in people with “long COVID” might not just be about the lungs — it may indicate heart damage from the disease, new research suggests.

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“The findings could help to explain why some patients with long COVID still experience breathlessness one year later, and indicate that it might be linked to a decrease in heart performance,” explained study author Dr. Maria-Luiza Luchian, of the University Hospital Brussels in Belgium.

Psoriasis Ups Risk for Vascular Disease, Venous Thromboembolism

There is an increased risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and peripheral vascular disease (PVD) among patients with psoriatic disease, according to a review published online Dec. 1 in JAMA Dermatology. Typical presentations of VTE or PVD should not be overlooked in patients with psoriasis. Risk factors, such as obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, and varicose veins, should be identified and treated in patients with psoriasis, and medications like hormone-related therapies should be prescribed with caution. However, treatment with be prescribed depending on the priorities of the medical staff regarding the health of the patients. For example, if a patient with covid is un able to maintain an active lifestyle due to another illness, like varicose veins, then they will most likely contact a Varicose Vein Treatment Specialist and focus on this since it’s the main cause of the inactivity and so on. 

Genetic Links Between Schizophrenia, CVD Explored

Evidence suggests that liability to schizophrenia causally increases the risk of heart failure and early repolarization pattern, but a shared genetic etiology seems not to underlie the association between schizophrenia and cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to a study published online Nov. 3 in the Schizophrenia Bulletin.

Rada R. Veeneman, from the University of Amsterdam, and colleagues obtained summary data of genome-wide association studies of schizophrenia, heart failure, coronary artery disease, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate variability, QT interval, and early repolarization and dilated cardiomyopathy electrocardiogram patterns. Genetic correlations were computed and causality was assessed in bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR).

“The lack of evidence for genetic correlation between schizophrenia and CVD is striking, given consistent phenotypic correlations and the fact that a considerable amount of the risk variants for schizophrenia are located in genes relevant for cardiological functioning,” the authors write.

Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum on Choosing the Right Statin for High Cholesterol

DocWire News recently spoke Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, cardiologist, published author, and womens’ wellness advocate. Dr. Steinbaum discussed:

• Treatments for high cholesterol, like statins, as an option to consider as part of a patient’s cholesterol management.
• Knowing what statins are available on the market.
• The importance of an individualized approach when choosing the right statin medication.
• How she works with her patients to create a plan for their cholesterol management.

Low-Voltage Area-Guided Left Atrial Linear Ablation in Non-Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Patients

A study in PLoS One, compared low-voltage area (LVA)-guided left atrial (LA) linear ablation on preexisting LVA and its effects on LA reverse remodeling in patients with non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (non-PAF). The authors, led by Hao-Tien Liu, MD, observed that LVA-guided linear ablation provided better outcomes than non-LVA guided linear ablation.