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Covid MI/heart conditions
I am 41 YO, have had 2 heart attacks one STEMI with multiple blood clots in right CA and one Non STEMI, another heart event requiring hospitalization, one each year the past three years. Covid spike protein is elevated, coronary CT with a calcium score of zero, was recently told by a cardiologist I have heart damage from Covid with a thickened pericardium and damage at the apex of my heart. Anyone with similar symptoms or events? Any other testing? All my coagulation studies normal, auto immune panels normal, lab work is unremarkable, cath are clean. Any providers willing to discuss would be greatly appreciated!
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After Covid I developed POTS.
I tried diff meds and can’t control my heart rate / short of breath / fatigue.
I had bad reactions to Mudrodine and Fludrocortisone.
There’s always another drug to try….
I have heart issues, initially from vaccine injury beginning two weeks after I got the Covid vaccine, but aggravated each time I've gotten Covid.
Mine was diagnosed at Mayo in Rochester as severe microvascular endothelial dysfunction. What that means is that my arteries don't reasons correctly to chemicals that are supposed to open up blood vessels - in my case, at least one of them causes the blood vessels to constrict rather than dilate. That means the tiny blood vessels in my heart close when they're supposed to open, depriving my heart of oxygen and causing heart attack symptoms. I haven't actually had a heart attack myself, but I know people who have.
Endothelial dysfunction can also cause the larger blood vessels to constrict, and that can cause severe pain and actual heart attacks (STEMI or NSTEMI). It is known that Covid affects the endothelial cells lining the arteries, which can cause microvascular dysfunction and/or coronary artery spasms. This often happens with no obstructions at all in the blood vessels (like you, my calcium score is zero) and is called INOCA (ischemia with non-obstructed coronary arteries) or ANOCA (angina with non-obstructed coronary arteries).
There are doctors at Mayo in Rochester who are doing research on these disorders, which have become a lot more common since Covid. I see Dr. Amir Lerman, who is really excellent, but he's not the only one who knows these disorders and is on the cutting edge of treatments.
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2 ReactionsWow! I’m sorry your experiences have been similar to mine. I have had elevated troponin levels and hypercoagulate each time I get Covid. The last cardiologist I seen recently finally said this is due to Covid. The others didn’t want to say that and didn’t have any recommendations as to long term treatment. I’m now on antiplatlet therapy and if that fails blood thinners for lifetime as well as cardiac medication. I asked about MINOCA and the cardiologist said it’s not that. I did not have the vaccine so this was from having Covid. I should look into being seen at Mayo. I’m curious what studies they are doing.
If your arteries are clear, from what I understand, the next most likely reason people have MI's is because of coronary artery spasms, usually caused by endothelial dysfunction. Clotting can also cause problems, and both clotting and endothelial dysfunction can be caused by Covid.
There's only one or two procedures that can rule out MINOCA. The most commonly used one is a provocative angiogram, an angiogram where they inject a substance that causes spasms if you have them, and doesn't if you don't. (There's also a type of MRI where they can do that, but I don't know much about that. ) Many cardiologists say they are too dangerous, but if done by an experienced doctor like the ones at Mayo, they are no more dangerous than a normal angiogram, and they give you an accurate diagnosis and a more appropriate treatment.