IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 IN THE HEART: PRESENCE OF MYOCARDITIS, AND/OR SUGGESTIVE SYMPTOMS

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the occurrence of viral myocarditis as a complication of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Method: A bibliographic research of qualitative and descriptive approach was conducted through a review, in which the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and the Virtual Health Library (VHL) databases were used, with the descriptors "Myocarditis", "Covid19", "Cardiovascular Diseases", and "Heart Failure". Inclusion criteria were journal article, clinical trial, clinical trials, randomized or nonrandomized, case-control studies, case reports, and cohort studies, open access articles, with full text available, in Portuguese or English, and articles published in the years 2020 and 2021. Results: The cardiovascular manifestations suggestive of myocarditis, post COVID-19, were addressed, these being myocarditis proper, fulminant myocarditis, myocardial injury, endomyocardial infection and inflammation, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. Conclusion: However, there is evidence that myocarditis can be caused due to COVID-19 infection, and that early recognition and intervention are important factors in reducing mortality in these patients, more studies are needed to understand the exact mechanisms of how SARS-CoV2 can cause myocarditis, and the long-term impact of this disease.