According to a June study in Hearth Rhythm, 20 to 30 percent of COVID-19 patients displayed elevated levels of troponin, an enzyme that's typically a sign of heart damage. An additional study, published in JAMA Cardiology, further found that of 100 COVID-19 patients surveyed, 78 showed signs of cardiac abnormalities, including inflammation, when their hearts were imaged about 10 weeks later.
Further data is needed, but some doctors have speculated that heart problems could result from this damage, including heart arrhythmia, a malfunction of the electrical signals in the heart with symptoms like chest pain, dizziness, or fainting. Myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, is a potential long-term side effect that's been detected in young athletes in particular. The CDC is actively monitoring myocarditis and other heart issues in post-COVID-19 patients. At this point, though, doctors believe that heart complications occur most often in people with preexisting conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
