Study Finds Coronavirus Creates Lasting Harmful Effects To The Heart, Kidneys, And Liver

Medical professionals the world over are starting to see evidence that suggests COVID-19 may be causing a host of issues that is not related to the respiratory system. Doctors have been reporting signs of acute kidney disease, blood clots, heart inflammation, liver problems, neurological malfunction, and intestinal damage, according to a report by The Washington Post.

Blood Or Urine In Urine

According to Dr. Alan Kliger, almost half of the hospitalized COVID-19 patients have protein or blood in their urine, indicating early damage to the kidneys. Dr. Kliger is a nephrologist at the Yale School of Medicine.

Early data also showed that 14% to 30% of COVID-19 patients admitted to ICUs in New York and Wuhan, China lost their kidney function. It was also reported that these patients required dialysis or needed nonstop renal replacement therapy. “That’s a huge number of people who have this problem. That’s new to me,” said Dr. Kliger. “I think it’s very possible that the virus attaches to the kidney cells and attacks them,” he added.

Inflammation Of Heart Muscle

Some doctors found evidence COVID-19 could harm the heart. Medical professionals in New York and China have reported seeing evidence of myocarditis or the inflammation of the heart muscle. They also reported seeing coronavirus patients with irregular heart rhythms, which may lead to cardiac arrest.

According to Dr. Mitchell Elkind, these coronavirus patients seem to be doing okay as far as their respiratory status is concerned. Suddenly, however, they start developing cardiac issues that appear out of proportion to their respiratory problems. Dr. Elkind said, “This seems to be out of proportion to their lung disease, which makes people wonder about that direct effect.” Dr. Elkind is the president-elect of the American Heart Association and a neurologist at Columbia University.

Blood Clots

Other doctors report the virus may also affect the liver. They say coronavirus been the cause of the formation of blood clots in leg veins and in other vessels, which break off and travel to the lung. Such clots can cause death from a pulmonary embolism.

According to Dr. Sanjum Sethi, these incidences are becoming common across New York, with COVID-19 patients being given blood thinners to treat them. “We’re just seeing so many of these events that we have to investigate further,” said Dr. Sethi. He is an assistant professor of medicine at Irving Medical Center, Columbia University.