Cardiovascular Sequelae of COVID-19 in Adult Population: A Scoping Review

The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented impact on healthcare systems and the global population. Investigating cardiac complications following COVID-19 recovery holds vital clinical importance, given its scope in the development of post-discharge monitoring programs for patients, as well as the economic and healthcare implication involved. The scoping review aimed to provide a summary of the current and available evidence related to cardiovascular sequelae in adult patients who had COVID-19. Research evidence, published in the last three years (2021 to October 2023), was retrieved in English and Spanish. A total of 746 articles were identified and only 12 that met the inclusion criteria were selected for this review. The most common persistent symptoms reported were dyspnea and fatigue, followed by palpitations and chest pain. Cardiac complications of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection include myocarditis, vasculitis, acute coronary syndrome, right ventricular dysfunction, pericarditis and myocardial infarction. Although the COVID-19 health emergency has ended on an international scale, the consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly the cardiovascular sequelae, remain a public health concern due to the associated morbidity and mortality. Documentation and knowledge of the main characteristics of cardiovascular sequelae is crucial for their extent in the development of post-discharge monitoring programs for patients with COVID-19, as well as for health and economic implications.