POTS, a debilitating heart disease, is linked to Covid and, to a lesser extent, to vaccines

A study released Monday confirmed a link between Covid infection and a debilitating heart condition called POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome).

Survey results, Published in the journal Nature Cardiovascular Researchconsistent with previous reports from doctors that Covid can cause POTS, a disorder of the autonomic nervous system often characterized by Rapid heart rate, low blood pressure, fainting, lightheadedness.

Doctors often fail to recognize this condition, according to experts. This is because it can be confused with a myriad of other health issues, such as anxiety and dehydration. Many patients spend years trying to get a proper diagnosis.

One of the previous findings on long Covid was that it could be linked to POTS, and this new study builds on that, says lead investigator and cardiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Alan Kwan, Ph.D.

POTS was also associated, albeit to a lesser extent, with Covid vaccination with mRNA vaccines, according to a new study.

Researchers analyzed data from approximately 300,000 patients who had received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine or had a confirmed case of Covid from Los Angeles County’s Cedars-Sinai Health System between 2020 and 2022. . The majority of vaccinated people in this study obtained mRNA vaccines from either Pfizer Biontech or Moderna. People with confirmed Covid cases were not vaccinated.

Researchers found a small but increased risk of POTS after Covid vaccination, especially after the first dose, but a greater risk after Covid infection itself.

“The main message here is that we see a potential link between Covid-19 vaccination and POTS, but preventing Covid-19 through vaccination does not lead to POTS. It’s the best way to reduce risk,” Kwan said.

He added that the study had limitations, including that the results were based on patient data from a single health system. I said I should check with

Kwan added that it’s unclear why the COVID-19 vaccine causes the symptoms, but it could be related to an immune response triggered by the vaccination.

Dr. Ofer Levy, director of the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, agrees.

He said the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines Associated with a small risk of myocarditis. The condition may also be linked to the shot-generated immune response, he said. significantly higher after Covid infection than after vaccination

Researchers should further investigate immune responses to injections. “Because the more we understand how adverse events work, the smarter we can design better vaccines in the future,” Levy said.

Other vaccines have also been linked to POTS in early accounts, but further studies have not established a causal link.

For example, the HPV vaccine Gardasil was thought to cause POTS based on early reports, but Subsequent review Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, was not involved with the new study.

However, the link between infectious diseases, including Covid, and POTS is more established.

“Many conditions can cause POTS, including viral infections such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19,” said a physician at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, who leads the acute sequelae Covid clinic. One Dr. Bala Munipalli said: , Florida, said in an email.

POTS following other types of infections is not uncommon, Schaffner said. This condition is associated with many viral or bacterial infections, including influenza, mononucleosis, and Lyme disease.

Dr. Daniel Dudenkov, a Mayo Clinic physician, said it’s important to note that Covid vaccines may be linked to POTS, but Covid infection itself is much more likely to lead to POTS. I was.

“Vaccines continue to be an important strategy to combat Covid and its effects,” he said.

Schaffner agreed, saying post-vaccination events are “rare.”

“The risk of this happening is much greater with Covid than with vaccines. So get vaccinated,” he said.

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