The American College of Cardiology (ACC) has released an expert consensus decision pathway aimed to guide the care of patients with cardiovascular manifestations related to COVID-19 infection. As researchers learn more about cardiovascular conditions—such as myocarditis and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC, or long COVID)—there is a need for guidance on how best to identify and treat these conditions.
The consensus document has three areas of focus.
- Diagnosis and treatment plan for myocarditis.
- Diagnosis and management plan for cardiovascular diseases and symptoms that present more than four weeks following infection with COVID (PASC).
- Considerations for competitive and non-competitive athletes following infection with COVID-19.
Published March 16 in Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the 2022 ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway was co-authored by Erica Spatz, MD, MHS, associate professor of cardiology and of epidemiology at Yale School of Medicine, and Oyere Onuma, MD, MSc, assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine. Other advisors include Edward Miller, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine and of radiology, who participated in the roundtable.
What’s different about the report
The committee has proposed two terms to identify those recovering from COVID-19 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.
On Sunday, April 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET the ACC’s 71st Annual Scientific Session will host an introductory session with Spatz and other experts on the clinical evaluation and management of patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Topics will be cardiovascular sequelae of COVID-19 in adults, myocarditis and myocardial involvement, post-acute sequelae, and return to play. To learn more about the panel, visit the website.