Heart scans could lead to better coronavirus treatment

The British Heart Foundation has said that heart scans could lead to better treatment for patients in hospital with coronavirus.

A study, published in the European Heart Journal - Cardiovascular Imaging, has shown that around one in seven patients with the virus showed severe abnormalities likely to have a major effect on their survival and recovery. It also showed that one in three patients who received an echocardiography scan had their treatment changed as a result.

The findings suggest that heart scans could prove crucial for identifying patients who may benefit from additional treatments to improve their coronavirus recovery and prevent potential long-term damage to their heart.

Marc Dweck, British Heart Foundation Senior Lecturer and Consultant Cardiologist at the University of Edinburgh, said: “Covid-19 is a complex, multisystem disease which can have profound effects on many parts of the body, including the heart. Many doctors have been hesitant to order echocardiograms for patients with Covid-19 because it’s an added procedure which involves close contact with patients. Our work shows that these scans are important – they improved the treatment for a third of patients who received them.”

Research carried out by the British Heart Foundation Centre of Research Excellence at the University of Edinburgh looked at echocardiogram results of 1,216 patients from 69 countries with coronavirus. The scan results were sourced from many coronavirus hotspots around the world, allowing researchers to urgently understand the impact of the virus on the heart while the pandemic was at its peak.

In the study, 55 per cent of all patients, including those with pre-existing heart disease, showed abnormal changes to the way their heart was pumping, with around one in seven showing evidence of severe dysfunction. The majority (901) had no known heart disease before the study and showed similar changes. Almost half (46 per cent) and one in eight (13 per cent) showed abnormal changes and severe dysfunction respectively. These changes were observed for the first time during the patients’ coronavirus illness and the researchers believe they could be due to the effects of the virus.

Sonya Babu-Narayan, BHF Associate Medical Director and Consultant Cardiologist, said: “Severe Covid-19 illness can result in damage to the heart and circulatory system. We urgently need to understand more about why this is happening so we can provide appropriate care – both short and long term. This global study – carried out at the height of the pandemic - shows that we must be on the lookout for heart complications in people with Covid-19 so that we can adapt their treatment, if needed.

“BHF funded researchers across the UK are working tirelessly to help us answer many urgent questions about Covid-19. These include understanding why people with heart and circulatory disease are at increased risk, how the heart and circulation are impacted by Covid-19 and the indirect effects of the pandemic on people with heart and circulatory diseases. Their work, along with other scientists across the UK will be crucial for finding new treatments and determining the optimal way to care for people with Covid-19.”