Pathophysiological basis and diagnosis of the cardiovascular system damage caused by coronavirus infection

Abstract

This review focuses on the pathogenesis, most common clinical manifestations, and methods for diagnosis of damages to the cardiovascular system in coronavirus infection. The search for studies to be reviewed included publications of Elsevier, PubMed, and Web of Science resources by the key words “COVID-19”, “myocarditis”, “coronavirus”, and “myocardial injury”. The clinical presentation of coronavirus infection can include acute heart failure, myocardial injury, arrhythmias, pericarditis, venous thromboembolism, and microcirculatory dysfunction. Since symptoms of this pathology are non-specific, it is important to pay attention to monitoring of clinical laboratory and instrumental indexes for early differential diagnosis of cardiovascular disease. In all cases of parameter deviation from the normal range, cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 should be suspected. Measures should be taken for specifying the occurrence and severity of cardiac and/or vascular injury, and approaches should be developed for comprehensive treatment or prevention of these conditions.