Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

MDPI, Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 10(8), p. 130, 2021

DOI: 10.3390/jcdd8100130

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SARS-CoV-2 and Atherosclerosis: Should COVID-19 Be Recognized as a New Predisposing Cardiovascular Risk Factor?

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the lung was recognized as the main target organ; now, new evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to vascular disease. In a previous review, we supposed a bidirectional link between endothelial dysfunction and COVID-19, identifying atherosclerosis as having a crucial role in its pathogenesis. Atherosclerosis with an existing endothelial dysfunction may worsen COVID-19 manifestations, leading to adverse outcomes, as largely reported. However, COVID-19 may be the trigger factor in the progression of the atherosclerotic process up to making it clinically manifest. The thrombotic complications can involve not only the atherosclerotic plaque, but also the durability of the surgical device implanted to treat a pre-existing coronary artery disease as recently reported. The burden of the disease makes necessary a long-term stratification of patients, revising drastically targeted therapy among others.