A recent study carried out by a team of Japanese researchers has found that people who have survived Covid infection are more prone to face severe heart attacks.
According to the study report, people who have battled Covid could face a heightened risk of heart failure due to lingering viral presence in their hearts.
Study report released by Riken
The research carried out by experts at Riken, one of the most esteemed scientific institutions in Riken also highlighted the necessity to embrace proactive measures to mitigate this looming threat.
Coronavirus enters the body of a human body by binding its spike protein to ACE2 receptors on the surface cells of a human being. It should be noted that the heart houses a higher concentration of these ACE2 receptors compared to other organs, thus indicating the virus's affinity for cardiac tissue.
During the study, researchers engineered heart tissue using induced pluripotent stem cells, and they found a decline in heart function among human beings when they induced the virus. Upon analysis, researchers noted a fall in cardiac function upon infecting the tissue with varying amounts of the virus. However, when the researchers reduced the infection level to 10 percent, certain level of the heart's function persisted.
Hidetoshi Masumoto, the lead researcher at Riken said that precautionary measures and effective treatment protocols should be developed to combat a potential "heart failure pandemic."
Stark warning issued by Indian health minister
In October 2023, Indian health minister Mansukh Mandaviya had also shared similar views, and advised Covid survivors not to do hard work to prevent possible heart failure.
"It has recommended that those who had severe Covid should desist from extra labour; that they should stay away from continuous labour, laborious running, exercise, etc, for a specified short period, meaning a year or two, so that heart attacks can be prevented," said Mandaviya.
