Hackensack University Medical Center Research Shows COVID-19’s Impact on the Cardiovascular System, Leading to Long COVID, and Effective Treatments
Joseph E. Parrillo, M.D., presents significant findings at New York Cardiovascular Symposium (NYCVS)
Joseph E. Parrillo, M.D., director of Research Program and Research Database at Hackensack Meridian Hackensack University Medical Center, and the COVID-19 and Cardiovascular Disease Research Team have published three papers and more than 15 abstracts regarding heart disease and COVID-19. Their research was published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the American Journal of Cardiology and other clinical publications.
Dr. Parrillo presented the team’s significant findings, pointing the way to better treatments, at the American College of Cardiology-sponsored New York Cardiovascular Symposium (NYCVS) on December 9. In his presentation, titled Evolving Subacute and Chronic Impact of COVID-19 on Cardiovascular Sequelae: Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction (ANSD) as a Primary Concern, Dr. Parrillo discussed COVID-19’s impact on the cardiovascular system, the dynamics of the disease leading to long COVID, as well as effective treatments.
Research conclusions of note include:
- COVID produces many cardiovascular abnormalities.
- Echocardiography assessment of cardiac function allows therapy to be tailored to the underlying abnormality, potentially improving management.
- Post-Acute Sequelae of COVID (PASC-Long COVID) is multifaceted and involves nearly every organ system.
- Milder acute COVID illness results in less severe PASC in general. Vaccination against COVID-19 results in less severe acute infection and less severe PASC.
- A prospective, longitudinal observational study of PASC patients using HUTT (Tilt Table Testing) showed orthostatic intolerance in nearly all (23/24) study subjects. Findings suggest the presence of autonomic dysfunction.
- In PASC patients with fatigue, palpitations, and exercise intolerance, treatment with beta-blockers was associated with substantial improvement in symptoms along with reduced blood pressure and heart rate. A randomized, controlled trial is needed to confirm this preliminary observation.
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