SARS-CoV-2 INFECTION ACCELERATES ATHEROSCLEROSIS AND LEADS TO MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION: HYPOTHESIS OR OBJECTIVE REALITY?

Abstract

The past 2020 was marked by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, which entailed an increased risk of mortality in patients with previous cardiovascular diseases (CVD) or with various risk factors (RF) of atherosclerosis. There is conflicting evidence from clinical and scientific studies of COVID-19-related cardiovascular disease. One of the features of the new SARS-CoV-2 infection is its ability to induce a systemic hyperinflammatory response, accompanied by instability of atherosclerotic plaques. In this sense, the course of atherosclerosis becomes accelerated, or rapidly progressing. The article presents a clinical case demonstrating the progressive course of coronary atherosclerosis in a patient with several interrelated factors, including the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection.