COVID-19 and diseases of the cardiovascular system

Pojava novog koronavirusa, službeno poznatog kao teški akutni respiratorni sindromkoronavirus- 2 (SARS-CoV-2) koji predstavlja izazov za zdravstvenu zajednicu diljem svijeta. Prvi slučaj ove bolesti, poznate kao koronavirusna bolest 2019.(COVID-2019), dogodio se 8. prosinca 2019. u kineskoj provinciji Hubei. Do 22.5.2022. godine u Svijetu je potvrđeno preko 526 milijuna slučajeva COVID-2019 od toga je preko 6,28 milijuna umrlih od virusa. U Hrvatskoj je zaraženo 1,13 milijuna stanovnika i umrlo 15.966 stanovnika. Infekcija virusom SARS-CoV-2 može biti asimptomatska ili može rezultirati blagom do teškom simptomatskom bolešću. Bolesnici najčešće imaju simptome kao što su groznica i kašalj, a većina njih razvija nelagodu u prsima, poteškoće s disanjem ili upalu pluća. Pacijenti s infekcijom SARS-CoV-2 imaju potencijal razviti teško zatajenje srca i na kraju umrijeti od iznenadne srčane smrti. Vidljivo je da je jedna od popularnih komplikacija COVID-19 je zatajenje srca koje može biti uzrokovano pogoršanim već postojećim srčanim disfunkcijama, kao i novonastalom kardiomiopatijom i miokarditisom. Srčana disfunkcija nije uobičajena posljedica bolesti COVID-19. Međutim, oštećenje miokarda zabilježeno je kod značajnog broja zaraženih pacijenata. Telemedicina i vježbanje kod kuće mogu pomoći u održavanju programa rehabilitacije i sprečavanju budućeg povećanja ponovnog prihvata i stope smrtnosti u bolnicama, izbjegavajući pritom porast prijenosa bolesti COVID-19 i dodatno opterećenje zdravstvenih sustava. Zdravstveni djelatnici moraju biti stalno u tijeku i prilagođavati svoje savjete pacijentima te mijenjati vlastito profesionalno i privatno ponašanje. Međutim, iz ovog 'izazova pristupa' proizašla je prilika da se ubrza prijelaz na (ili kombiniraju) pristupačne kućne i tehnološke modele rehabilitacije srca, uz odgovarajuće osiguranje kvalitete za njihovu isporuku. Razvoj i pružanje inovativnih modela liječenja i rehabilitacije je važna kako bi se potakla prevencija i zdraviji način života koji se stavljen u drugi plan tijekom ove pandemije.The emergence of a new coronavirus, officially known as severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), poses a challenge to the health community around the world. The first case of this disease, known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-2019), occurred on December 8, 2019 in the Chinese province of Hubei. Until 22.5.2022. In 2019, over 526 million cases of COVID 2019 were confirmed worldwide, of which more than 6.28 million died from the virus. In Croatia, 1.13 million inhabitants were infected, and 15,966 inhabitants died. Infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be asymptomatic or can lead to mild to severe symptomatic disease. Patients usually have symptoms such as fever and cough, and most develop chest discomfort, shortness of breath or pneumonia. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection can develop severe heart failure and eventually die of sudden cardiac death. Obviously, one of the popular complications of COVID-19 is heart failure, which can be caused by worsening of pre-existing cardiac dysfunctions, as well as new-onset cardiomyopathy and myocarditis. Cardiac dysfunction is not a common consequence of COVID-19. However, myocardial damage has been reported in a significant number of infected patients. Telemedicine and home exercise can help sustain rehabilitation programs and prevent future increases in hospital readmissions and mortality rates, while avoiding increased transmission of COVID-19 and additional burden on healthcare systems. Healthcare professionals must be constantly upto- date and adapt their advice to patients and change their own professional and private behavior. However, from this 'access challenge' arose an opportunity to accelerate the transition to (or a combination of) affordable home and technology models of cardiac rehabilitation, with adequate quality assurance for their delivery. Developing and providing innovative models of treatment and rehabilitation are important to encourage prevention and healthy lifestyles that have been put on the back burner during this pandemic