Open AccessThe Management of Acute Onset Complete Heart Block and Atrial Flutter in a Patient with COVID-19
Author(s) -
Murtaza Hussain,
Dominic Awuah,
Smit Deliwala,
Luay Alkotob,
Elfateh Seedahmed,
Ghassan Bachuwa
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
european journal of case reports in internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.125
H-Index - 1
ISSN - 2284-2594
DOI - 10.12890/2022_003026
Subject(s) - medicine , atrial flutter , cardiology , atrioventricular block , heart block , myocarditis , heart disease , electrocardiography , atrial fibrillation
SARS-CoV-2 has infected millions of people worldwide. Its cardiac presentations include myocarditis, arrhythmias and structural heart changes even in young and healthy individuals. The long-term sequelae of these manifestations are unknown. We describe a unique combination of complete heart block and atrial flutter in the setting of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 virulence mechanisms can cause fibrosis in the myocardium resulting in loss of sinus node dominance. The paradoxical finding of atrial flutter and complete heart block is very rare. Prompt cardiac evaluation and electrophysiological testing are important. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) and endomyocardial biopsies are the gold standard investigations. Anticoagulation should be administered until atrioventricular synchrony is achieved.