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Business News/ News / World/  COVID-19 leaves ‘dramatic’ changes in heart, researchers find 'abnormalities' in survivors
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COVID-19 leaves ‘dramatic’ changes in heart, researchers find 'abnormalities' in survivors

‘We found evidence, in the hearts of COVID-19 patients, abnormalities in the way calcium is handled,' said one of the researchers.

The heart tissue of these COVID-19 fatalities actually resembled heart failure patients' heart tissue when it came to their calcium systems.Premium
The heart tissue of these COVID-19 fatalities actually resembled heart failure patients' heart tissue when it came to their calcium systems.

The effects of COVID-19 on the respiratory system and lungs are well established. At the present, mounting evidence points to the virus's possible long-term effects on the heart.

The heart tissue of COVID-19 individuals who had died from the illness—some of whom also had a history of heart conditions—was examined by a research team to see how it had changed. The scientists examined autopsies and discovered a number of anomalies, particularly in the way heart cells control calcium.

Dr. Andrew Marks, the chairman of the department of physiology at Columbia University, said there were “abnormalities".

The heart tissue of these COVID-19 fatalities actually resembled heart failure patients' heart tissue when it came to their calcium systems. “We found evidence, in the hearts of COVID-19 patients, abnormalities in the way calcium is handled," he said.

Also Read: Death due to COVID-19 vaccine: 28-year-old dies after jab; family to get 1.4 crore

“The data we present show that there are dramatic changes in the heart," TIME quoted Marks as saying. “The precise cause and long term consequences of those need to be studied more."

Calcium is necessary for the contraction of all muscles, including those in the heart. Calcium is stored inside muscle cells, which then open specialised channels to release it as necessary. The channel can remain open in some circumstances, such as heart failure, in an effort to assist the heart muscle contract more forcefully. The calcium leak eventually exhausts the calcium reserves, weakening the muscle.

Also Read: COVID-19 survivors develop natural immunity against severe illnesses: Lancet

By examining how the virus affects the hearts of mice and hamsters, Marks hopes to further investigate the potential heart changes that SARS-CoV-2 may induce. While the animals are infected and after they have recovered, he plans to measure changes in immune cells as well as any changes in heart function in order to identify any lasting consequences.

There is a connection between COVID-19 infections and heart-related issues, according to earlier investigations. An extensive review of patients in the VA system from 2022 revealed that individuals who had COVID-19 had higher rates of a number of heart-related hazards, such as irregular heartbeats, heart attacks, and stroke. Some of these patients had recovered from COVID-19 while others had never been diagnosed.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sounak Mukhopadhyay
Sounak Mukhopadhyay, who also goes by the name Sounak Mukherjee, has been producing digital news since 2012. He's worked for the International Business Times, The Inquisitr, and Moneycontrol in the past. He's also contributed to Free Press Journal and TheRichest with feature articles. He covers news for a wide range of subjects including business, finance, economy, politics and sports. Before working with digital news publications, he worked as a freelance content writer.
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Published: 19 Feb 2023, 09:13 AM IST
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