Early Evidence: Coronavirus carries increased heart risk

New evidence shows the COVID-19 can have a serious impact of the health of those who contract the virus after their initial recovery. KPRC's Haley Hernandez reports.

(KPRC/NBC News) — New evidence shows the COVID-19 can have a serious impact of the health of those who contract the virus after their initial recovery.

“There’s a whole range of cardiac symptoms that can occur due to COVID and we are just beginning to understand this,” said Dr. Barry Trachtenberg, of Houston Methodist Heart Failure and Transplantation Cardiology.

Doctors in Washington, where the virus hit earlier this year, found an alarming rate of COVID-19 patients were left with heart damage.

“Out of three developed new-onset heart failure or new-onset weakening of the heart,” Dr. Trachtenberg said.

Even patients without pre-existing medical conditions could end up with heart damage.

“Sometimes it’s not just the virus infecting the heart, but the body’s immune response to the virus that overreacts,” Dr. Trachtenberg said. “Your immune system starts attacking the heart and that’s common with certain viruses.”

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