The day after: Atrial fibrillation and COVID-19
Authors:
Dúbrava Martin 1; Jánošiová Jarmila 1; Koščálová Alena 2; Šuba Ján 1
Authors‘ workplace:
I. klinika geriatrie LF UK a UN, Bratislava
1; Klinika infektológie a geografickej medicíny UNB, LF UK a SZU Bratislava
2
Published in:
Geriatrie a Gerontologie 2023, 12, č. 3: 135-140
Category:
Overview
Dúbrava M, Jánošiová J, Koščálová A, Šuba J. The day after: Atrial fibrillation and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has had the most devastating impact on seniors. This was also due to comorbidities and immunosenscence, which are so typical for older age. One of the characteristic diseases of seniors is atrial fibrillation (AF), which has a high potential to impair the quality of life and life expectancy. But at the same time, it is well treatable. The AF rate in seniors with COVID-19 is high, including first-diagnosed AF. The pathophysiology of AF developed during SARS-CoV-2 infection is complex. AF worsens the prognosis of patients with COVID-19. We are sure that we cannot pretend that the COVID-19 catastrophe has passed, that we are „the day after“ and can only focus ourselves on repairing the damage that has already occurred. Unfortunately, the opposite is true, SARS-CoV-2 has stayed with us and is mutating intensely. In this article, we offer one of the possible insights into current knowledge about the relationship between AF and COVID-19, with an emphasis on why the importance of AF screening in seniors increases significantly in the “postcovid” period. This screening can be implemented in several ways, some of which are feasible quickly and at minimal cost.
Keywords:
atrial fibrillation – COVID-19 – geriatrics
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Geriatrics General practitioner for adults Orthopaedic prostheticsArticle was published in
Geriatrics and Gerontology
2023 Issue 3
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