Heart patients need to be extra cautious during pandemic time, says cardiologist

‘They are likely to have a more severe infection than others’

Heart patients need to be extra cautious during the pandemic time. While anyone can catch the COVID-19 infection, people with underlying heart conditions are likely to have a more severe infection than others, says N.V. Gourisankar Reddy, interventional cardiologist, KIMS ICON Hospital.

“There are complaints that the viral infection could cause rupture of atherosclerotic plaques (fatty deposits) in the coronary arteries, leading to acute coronary syndromes (heart attack). Individuals who experience severe chest discomfort, during symptoms of coronavirus, should call the health care advice team immediately. Severe systemic inflammatory conditions may aggravate arrhythmias or even trigger atrial fibrillation in some individuals,” he says on the eve of World Heart Day on Tuesday.