The long-term scroll, officially known as the acute sequelae of SARS-COV-2 cardiovascular syndrome, has caused many people to struggle with heart-related symptoms, including chest pain and irregular heartbeat. Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna, led by Professor Mariann Gyöngyösi, have made significant progress in solving this problem. Their study, published in the journal Biomedical Sciences, highlights how specific treatments guided by medical advice improve symptoms and heart abnormalities in affected patients.
Professor Gyöngyösi’s team studied hundreds of patients with post-COV studies in Vienna between 2021 and 2023. Most of the patients are middle-aged women who continue to experience heart-related problems after recovering from mild to moderate COVID-199 infection for a long time. This detailed study involved collecting medical data, performing blood tests, and using advanced cardiac imaging techniques called cardiac magnetic resonance imaging. This is a special type of scan that provides detailed pictures of the heart, helping doctors understand its structure and function. Professor Gyöngyösi shared: “Our goal is to understand how targeted therapies can relieve symptoms and address the heart abnormalities found in these scans.”
On these scans, more than half of the patients showed heart-related problems. These include the accumulation of fluid around the heart, called pericardial effusion, which is the accumulation of fluid in the capsule around the heart that may affect its function. The heart function is also reduced, a disease called myocarditis that involves inflammation of the myocardium and its surrounding membranes. Many patients also report chest discomfort and struggle with daily physical exercise.
The results of this study are encouraging. After three months of careful planning of treatment, the patient’s symptoms and heart scan results improved significantly. Anti-inflammatory drugs that reduce swelling and irritation help reduce fluid around the heart, while treatments commonly used for heart failure help restore the heart’s pumping capacity to reach healthier levels. For example, patients who initially reduce cardiac pumping function will return to normal and healthy patients. Professor Gyöngyösi explained: “These findings show how consistent treatment can lead to measurable recovery.”
The study highlights that addressing the long-term cardiac effects of Covid-19 requires ongoing and focused care. Importantly, the study supports early findings that suggest that early initiation of anti-inflammatory treatments and heart-related medications can prevent more serious problems. As Professor Gyöngyösi notes, “The role of well-planned treatment strategies is critical to improving outcomes in patients with shared-related long-term heart problems.”
Despite the promising findings, the researchers stressed the need for additional studies to confirm their results and further refine treatments. They believe that future studies, including large studies in comparative treatment groups, are crucial. However, improvements in patients’ daily life and reduction of heart-related problems highlight the importance of targeted therapies in the treatment of long-term mutual crosslinking symptoms.
Journal Reference
Gyöngyösi M., Hasimbegovic E., Han E., Zlabinger K., Spannbauer A., Riesenhuber M. et al. “After guiding the therapy, symptoms and improvements in patients with acute sequelae of SARS-COV-2 cardiovascular syndrome.” Biomedical. 2023; 11 (3312): E03312. doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11123312
About the Author
Mariann Pavone-Gyöngyösi In 2002, she completed her medical research, doctorate and successful internal medicine and cardiology at the Albert-Szent-Györgyi Medical University in Szeged, Hungary. Educational Cardiology, leader of the Austrian Medical University, School of Cardiology, leader of the Translational Experimental Cardiology Group. She is the founder of the PhD program in “Cardiovascular Tissue Regeneration and Repair” of the Medical University of Vienna. Since 2021, she has been an honorary doctor at Semerves Medical University in Budapest, Hungary. Her most important award is Austrian Pfeiffer Competition, 1. Price, Austrian Society of Cardiology 1. Price, Billroth Preisärztekammer of Österreichisches, Werner-Klein-Klein Werner-Klein-Klein-Klein-Klein Translation Research Award, Austrian Cardiology Society, Best Manuscript Award, American Heart Association Journal Circulation Research and Paul Dudley Award. The most important grants are the health value, fiber targets, science, Regenheart, Crespace EU projects, many unlimited research grants and contracts for experimental invasive cardiology projects. Her research and clinical interests involve ischemic heart disease, interventional cardiology, cell and gene-based treatment, heart failure, cardiotoxicity. She has developed a variety of experimental models such as “In vitro biotin-concentrated imaging. Gyöngyösi et al. JACC: Cardiac Imaging 2010”, “Pigs with progressive cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis with secondary postcapillary postcapillary hypertension and fibrosis in pigs with progressive cardiac hypertrophy and postcapillary postcapillary hypertension Model. Gyöngyösi et al. J Transl Med. 2017, “3D displays 3D display of gene expression curves and sequential activation of different pathway networks in the ischemia-affected and unaffected myocardium, thereby inducing intrinsic remote regulation. Pavo et al. Sci Rep 2017 (corresponding author), “Noga guided analysis of regional myocardial perfusion abnormalities and analyzed using customized software. Gyöngyösi et al. Loop 2005”.
