“The most common heart rhythm complaint I hear from patients is heart pounding or racing,” Perry said. UAB Medicine experts have created a video series to help people better understand and manage post-COVID symptoms, which are sometimes called “long COVID” or “post-COVID syndrome. “A telemetry monitor can record heart rhythm and help determine if palpitations represent an abnormal heartbeat.” What is the most common heart-rhythm complaint? How long does it take for them to subside, if at all? “Many patients feel palpitations even when their heart rhythm is normal in these cases, a normal telemetry study can be very reassuring,” Perry said. They are most concerning in patients with known or suspected heart injury or who have a weak heart muscle. Heart palpitations are feelings that the heart is pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly. “After that, you can also increase the intensity of the exercise.” At what point should heart palpitations concern me after having COVID-19? “Every week or two, increase the amount of exercise time until you can exercise comfortably for 30-45 minutes daily,” Perry said. Most patients report significant improvement after six to 12 weeks using this approach. If your heart races when you stand up, trying recumbent exercise machines such as a rowing machine, or a semi-recumbent bicycle can help. Mild levels of exercise such as walking can help. Perry advises that people try to ease into exercise again after recovery. If your heart rate is gradually coming down each time you walk or run, that’s a sign that you are getting better.” My heart races quickly after any exertion, and I tire quickly. “Your physician will need to get a careful description of the type of chest pain you are having to determine if you need additional testing for other causes of chest pain. “If the MRI was normal, then heart injury due to COVID is likely not the cause of your chest pain,” Perry said. Some patients develop an abnormal rise in heart rate upon standing, caused by an abnormality in the autonomic nervous system, which is not related to COVID-19. Causes of rapid heart rate can include being out of shape due to prolonged illness and too much bed rest. There are many causes of chest pain, but a rapid heart rate is common in post-COVID patients. “Physical rehabilitation and regular exercise can help rebuild muscle loss and improve exercise capacity.” Is it normal to have an accelerated heartrate and chest pain, even if your cardiac MRI was normal? “Your doctor can do bloodwork to determine if there is ongoing, active muscle breakdown,” Perry said. A wide variety of problems can cause muscle aches and fatigue, including prolonged bed rest, inactivity and severe inflammation during the early stages of COVID-19. Muscle aches are a very common symptom after COVID-19. Is there anything that can help alleviate muscle fatigue and heaviness during exercise? Gilbert Perry, M.D., professor of medicine in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Division of Cardiovascular Disease and cardiologist in the UAB Cardiovascular Institute, provides insight on when these symptoms should become a concern and how they should be addressed. According to the American Heart Association, a growing number of studies suggest many COVID-19 survivors experience some type of heart damage after their diagnosis of COVID, including dizziness, accelerated heart rate, chest pain, shortness of breath, brain fog and fatigue. Although most people with COVID-19 fully recover within days or weeks of infection, some suffer from post-COVID symptoms long after. UAB experts address common concerns that people have with their heart health after COVID-19. For those who had COVID-19, lingering heart problems can complicate their recovery.
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