Cardiology in the COVID-19 Era - The Changing Paradigms

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has attained the distinction of a global pandemic, aff ecting more than 185 countries. The impact of COVID-19 in the practice of cardiology extends beyond the clinical Cardiovascular (CV) manifestations of the disease. Many treatment modalities used in the treatment of COVID-19 have direct or indirect eff ects on the CV system. Management of CV disease in patients with proven or suspected COVID-19 infection warrants modifi cation of existing practices and guidelines so as to suit the changed health care environment. The safety of health care personnel becomes an important consideration in the setting of this highly contagious pandemic. Furthermore, long-term cardiovascular consequences of COVID-19 need to be determined for appropriate follow-up of patients recovering from the infection. We review the data available till date on the various aspects of the impact of COVID-19 on the heart and the practice of cardiology.