Heart Health and COVID-19 Vaccines:
In a recent research endeavor by the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, the focus was on unraveling the potential link between COVID-19 vaccination and a somewhat elusive heart condition known as postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). The study, led by Dr. Peng-Sheng Chen, aimed to shed light on the cases where individuals, post-COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, experienced either the onset or exacerbation of POTS.
What came to light in the study was that individuals who developed new or aggravated POTS post-vaccination already harbored preexisting conditions conducive to a POTS diagnosis. POTS is characterized by dysfunction in the nervous system, leading to an abnormal spike in heart rate upon standing or sitting up. Traditionally more prevalent in women of childbearing age, the study noted a shift during the COVID-19 pandemic, with men being equally affected.
Dr. Peng-Sheng Chen expressed surprise at the fact that all individuals in their small sample already exhibited conditions predisposing them to POTS, such as palpitations, fast heart rates, orthostatic intolerance, hypermobile joints, asthma, systemic lupus, fainting, and chronic abdominal pain. As the corresponding author and an expert in the field, Chen suggested that monitoring individuals with underlying health issues after COVID-19 vaccination could be beneficial in detecting post-vaccine POTS.
The study, presented during the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and published in Heart Rhythm, delved into data from 10 patients treated at the Cedars-Sinai multidisciplinary POTS clinic between July 2021 and June 2022. Notably, all participants reported an improvement in their POTS condition when provided with guideline-directed care.
Despite the association identified between POTS and COVID-19 vaccination, a prior examination of patient data within the Cedars-Sinai Health System revealed that individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 were five times more likely to develop the cardiac condition after infection compared to after vaccination.
Dr. Debbie L. Teodorescu, a cardiology fellow at the Smidt Heart Institute and the study’s first author, emphasized that COVID-19 infection itself appears to either trigger or unmask a considerable number of POTS or POTS-like conditions globally. While most patients in their cohort responded well to treatment, a subsequent COVID-19 infection tended to bring significant setbacks in recovery. Therefore, the study underscores the importance of vigilance in avoiding COVID-19 for all individuals, especially those with preexisting health concerns.
