Cardiovascular Considerations in Treating Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2020 May;75(5):359-367. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000000836.

Abstract

A novel betacoronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread rapidly across the globe since December 2019. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has a significantly higher mortality rate than seasonal influenza and has disproportionately affected older adults, especially those with cardiovascular disease and related risk factors. Adverse cardiovascular sequelae, such as myocarditis, acute myocardial infarction, and heart failure, have been reported in patients with COVID-19. No established treatment is currently available; however, several therapies, including remdesivir, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, and interleukin (IL)-6 inhibitors, are being used off-label and evaluated in ongoing clinical trials. Considering these therapies are not familiar to cardiovascular clinicians managing these patients, this review describes the pharmacology of these therapies in the context of their use in patients with cardiovascular-related conditions.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus / isolation & purification
  • COVID-19
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / metabolism
  • Cardiovascular Diseases / virology*
  • Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / metabolism
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Drug Interactions
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • SARS-CoV-2