Ty Gluckman, MD, MHA, medical director, Center for Cardiovascular Analytics, Research, and Data Science (CARDS) at Providence St. Joseph Health in Portland, Oregon, explains the main points of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) expert consensus on the cardiovascular consequences stemming from a COVID-19 infection. Gluckman was the co-chair of the expert consensus decision pathway that can be used for the evaluation and management of adults with cardiovascular consequences from a COVID-19 infection. This includes cardiac issues by long-COVID.
These ACC guidelines were designed to help clinicians learn how to manage COVID patients with cardiovascular involvement during both the acute infection and long-COVID. The post-acute phase symptoms are referred to in the document by the official clinical designation of long-COVID as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC).
The writing committee has proposed two terms to better understand potential etiologies for those with cardiovascular symptoms:
• PASC-CVD, or PASC-Cardiovascular Disease, refers to a broad group of cardiovascular conditions (including myocarditis) that manifest at least four weeks after COVID-19 infection.
• PASC-CVS, or PASC-Cardiovascular Syndrome, includes a wide range of cardiovascular symptoms without objective evidence of cardiovascular disease following standard diagnostic testing.
The clinical guidance “2022 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on Cardiovascular Sequelae of COVID-19: Myocarditis, Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC) and Return to Play” was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in March.
Read more about the document in the article ACC consensus explains what cardiologists should look for in long COVID-19.
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Dave Fornell has covered healthcare for more than 17 years, with a focus in cardiology and radiology. Fornell is a 5-time winner of a Jesse H. Neal Award, the most prestigious editorial honors in the field of specialized journalism. The wins included best technical content, best use of social media and best COVID-19 coverage. Fornell was also a three-time Neal finalist for best range of work by a single author. He produces more than 100 editorial videos each year, most of them interviews with key opinion leaders in medicine. He also writes technical articles, covers key trends, conducts video hospital site visits, and is very involved with social media. E-mail: dfornell@innovatehealthcare.com