Cardiovascular System and SARS-COV-2 andndash; Etiology, Physiopathology and Clinical Presentation: a Systematic Review

Abstract

Background: During SARS-CoV-1 and MiddleEast Respiratory Distress Syndrome (MERS) outbreaks, a particularlyelevated incidence of cardiovascular disease among patients was observed. With COVID-19, this correlation becomes evident again. However, the cardiovascular impacts by COVID-19 pandemic are not yet well established although there are constant publications about its potential deleterious effects. Thus, we aimed to carry a systematic review of the literature with meta-analysis based on thefollowing guiding question: what practical contributionsto the scientific literature produced in theperiod of 2019-2020 does the impact of the COVID-19 on cardiovascular system have to offer? Methods: A systematic review of the literature using the Virtual Health Library (VHL) and PubMed with the following descriptors: #1 "cardiovascular disease" [MeSH] AND #2 "COVID-19" [keyword], as well as their equivalents in the Portuguese and Spanish language, during the period from December 2019 to March 2020 was performed. Results: one hundred articles are found in Pubmed and twenty-seven are selected. In VHL there were 59 articles and four are selected totaling thirty-one papers. The findings were then divided into three subcategories: Etiology, Physiopathology and Risk factors of SARS-CoV-2 in Cardiovascular System; Clinical presentation, laboratory markers and imagenological aspects of SARS-CoV-2 in cardiovascular system; and Anti- Hypertensive Drugs, Cardiovascular System and SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions: It comes to the cardiovascular system, these issues are aggravated and urge as a joint commitment from researchers, medical and governmental organizations for carry out more robust studies with bold methodologies aimed at mapping prognostic factors and assertive therapeutic approaches in the management of cardiovascular complications of COVID- 19.