Long COVID: New Research Confirms That COVID-19 Has Lasting Effects On Heart Rate And Other Physiological As Well As Behavioral Issues

Long COVID: A new research led by scientists from Scripps Research Translational Institute, San Diego, California has confirmed that COVID-19 induces long term effects on the heart rate of those infected and also causes other heart issues as well as behavioral and physiological impacts that can last over 79 days!

Individuals who contract COVID-19 are at a greater risk to suffer from an irregular heartbeat and other maladies for months after the symptoms dissipate.
 
The study found that on average, it took 79 days after a SARS-CoV-2 infection for the human host to return to a normal resting heart rate.
 
The study findings showed that one in six people who suffered a bout of COVID-19 will face an irregular heartbeat and reduced energy levels for at least four months after experiencing their initial symptoms.
 
The study findings were published in a peer reviewed journal: JAMA Network Open. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2781687?utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_term=070721
 
At the moment there are so many reports of COVID-19 infected and so called “recovered” patients and as well of much more untested individuals suffering heart failures and related deaths. There are reports that there has been an increased in excess deaths mostly resulting from heart issues in various countries.
 
This new Long COVID research, which was released mid week, aggregated data from Apple Watches, FitBits, and other health tracking devices, finding that, for some participants, it took several months after contracting the virus to return to their normal resting heart rate.
 
These wearable monitoring devices allowed for tracking of test subjects before illness, during illness and during recuperation, researchers noted. The data followed 234 COVID-19 positive patients and 641 participants who tested negative. 
 
In order to understand the long-term effects of infection, data was collected daily on the heart rate (resting heart rate), sleep (duration), and overall activity (step count). The analysis included both women and men between 18 and 76 years of age, providing a representative and comprehensive overlook of the persistent effects of infection.
 
From the study population engaged, the study team found that individuals infected by COVID-19 took longer to return to their resting heart rate, sleep, and activity baselines compared to individuals that had symptoms but were COVID-19 negative.
 
Significantly this effect lasted 2 to 3 months, with the impacts on resting heart rate being the most persistent relative to other response variables considered.

The patterns of response were consistent among both men and women across all ages, as patients that had tested positive for COVID-19 showed higher resting heart rates than ones that tested negative.
 
Though data was collected only once during the earl y phase of acute infection, individuals that tested COVID-19 positive had a higher severity and frequency of symptoms compared to ones that tested negative. This pattern requires further examination and could be considered in future studies as the present work only tested individuals a single time in the acute infection phase.

The research noted that problems were more rampant in those participants with severe initial COVID-19 symptoms, such a cough and shortness of breath, than it was in people with a mild case of the virus. 
 
Interestingly on the average, the study found that it took 79 days after a COVID-19 outbreak was first confirmed to return to a normal resting heart rate. 
 
The study team noted that the complication was more prevalent among those who suffered from coughs, body aches, and shortness of breath as their initial symptoms of the virus, and less so in test subjects who had more mild symptoms.
 
The study data came following a test of 234 COVID-19 patients who tested positive for the virus, versus 641 who tested negative. On average, it took participants with the virus 79 days after the onset of symptoms to return to their normal resting heart rates and 32 days to reach pre-infection step counts.


 
It was also found that sleep patterns returned after an average of 24 days after the virus was first confirmed.
 
Dr Jennifer M. Radin, PhD, MPH from Scripps Institute who is one of the authors of the study told Thailand Medical News, “To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine longer duration wearable sensor data. We found a prolonged physiological impact of COVID-19 infection, lasting approximately two to three months, on average, but with substantial intraindividual variability, which may reflect various levels of autonomic nervous system dysfunction or potentially ongoing inflammation. In the future, with larger sample sizes and more comprehensive participant-reported outcomes, it will be possible to better understand factors associated with inter individualized variability in COVID-19 recovery.”
 
A past study found that COVID-19, or novel coronavirus, could have dangerous long-term impacts on patients, even those who only suffered mild symptoms while infected. That study found that 78% of people diagnosed with coronavirus showed evidence of heart damage weeks after they recovered, suggesting the virus' long-term effects could be more serious than scientists once thought. The study looked at 100 patients who had not experienced symptoms related to their heart while battling coronavirus, and patients who were mostly health before their COVID-19 diagnosis. Most of the patients recovered at home and 18% of those studied never even had symptoms. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/fullarticle/2768916?guestAccessKey=698ebd4c-5c29-4069-9ef6-8839bcbc07de&utm_source=For_The_Media&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=ftm_links&utm_content=tfl&utm_term=072720
 
Scientists found damage to the heart muscle and the protective tissue that surrounds it. What researchers don't know is how long this damage sticks around. The patients in the study were put through an MRI two to three months after diagnosis. 
 
However subsequently many American Institutions with dealings with the U.S. NIH and Dr Anthony Fauci ,and also certain bought researchers in the United Kingdom tried to downplay the serious effects of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus on the heart till now as more studies are emerging by independent researchers and institutions. Scientist are also worried that the new emerging variants are displaying a more aggressive but gradual effect on the heart organ and are highlighting the urgent need for more detailed studies to look into this.

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