Damage to heart found in more than half of COVID-19 patients discharged from hospital

WASHINGTON: Around 50 percent of patients who have been hospitalized with severe COVID-19 and who show raised levels of a protein called troponin cause damage to their hearts.

The injury was detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at least a month after discharge, according to new findings published in the European Heart Journal, ANI reported.

Damage includes inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis), scarring or death of heart tissue (infarction), restricted blood supply to the heart (ischaemia), and combinations of all three.

The study of 148 patients from six acute hospitals in London is the largest study to date to investigate convalescing COVID-19 patients who had raised troponin levels indicating a possible problem with the heart. (ANI)