United States: The rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the United States has now come with another concern – heart failure. Those people who got infected by COVID-19 would be at potentially higher risk of developing heart failure because of the presence of residual virus in their hearts, even when they don’t have evident heart disease currently, as per a recent study done by Japanese researchers, which was published on December 23.
The research team involved scientists from Riken, which is an esteemed scientific institution, brought attention to the daunting possibility of a potential “heart failure pandemic” looming on the horizon, as per the Financial Express report.
They stressed the urgent need for proactive measures to lessen this imminent threat.
Why is the heart more vulnerable?
When contracted by the COVID-19 virus, its spike protein binds to receptors called ACE2 on human cell surfaces.
Financial Express reported that the presence of higher concentrations of ACE2 receptors in the heart when compared with other organs, brings a higher risk for heart tissues to be affected by the virus.
Although the underlying complex processes aren’t fully comprehended, many COVID-19 patients already reveal reduced heart function.
The approach taken by the research
The research team developed a heart tissue by using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. They noticed the changes and decline in heart functioning rate by exposing the cells to different amounts of the virus.
Another interesting finding revealed that with the infection level at 10 percent or less made to linger for up to four weeks, a certain level of heart function persisted. This gave the possibility that some people might not succumb to heart disease despite the presence of the virus, Financial Express reported.
The results also showed that the uninfected cells started to display signs of recovery in a specific timeframe under hypoxic (or low oxygen level) conditions designed to reduce heart function.
However, some cells housing the residual amount of the virus showed a reduced ability for regeneration, indicating the persistent viral infection, which is weakening their recuperating abilities.
Caution pointed out by the researcher
A researcher from Riken, Hidetoshi Masumoto, who is skilled in regenerative medicine, pointed out the probability of looming viral infection in the hearts of post-COVID-19 survivors.
In order to combat the risk of such heart failures, robust testing systems and treatment procedures are imperative. Therefore, he stressed the importance of precautionary measures to combat what might unfold as a ‘heart failure pandemic.’