COVID-19 Heart Care

Doctors Locations Clinical Trials Classes & Events

Appointments

Please call
305-2-HEART-U (305-243-2788)
to make an appointment.

Insurance Plans

View a list of insurance plans accepted at the University of Miami Health System.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our lives in many ways, including heart health for many people who were either infected by COVID-19 or who had a heart attack or other major heart problems at home during the pandemic but decided not to seek treatment for fear of coming to the hospital.

To help these patients and their doctors, heart experts at the University of Miami Health System address health issues related to heart inflammation and scarring due to COVID-19 infections and untreated heart problems.

Our heart experts are leading the way in understanding how COVID-19 impacts heart health and in researching innovative ways to help treat it. We’re here to answer some questions you may have:

I had COVID-19 – did it affect my heart?

I have not been infected with COVID-19, but I have experienced some heart symptoms that concern me. What should I do?

If you have experienced prolonged periods of chest pain or pressure, jaw pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, light-headedness, or fainting that were not evaluated, our heart experts will initiate appropriate testing and treatment to understand how your heart may have been affected and how to move forward with treatment to prevent future heart attack, heart problems, and death.

There has been a dramatic reduction in the number of people having heart attacks coming to hospital ERs during the COVID-19 pandemic. These “missing” heart attacks most likely occurred at home in people who were reluctant to go to the hospital due to fear of coronavirus infection. Other potentially serious cardiac issues, such as atrial fibrillation and loss of consciousness, known as syncope, have also been seen much less frequently in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those people who did have a heart attack at home, or who have experienced AFib or loss of consciousness, it is important to be evaluated and to undergo testing and treatments to prevent future heart attacks, stroke, and death.

FAQs if you think you may have experienced a heart attack at home.

Could I have had a heart attack at home and feel fine now?
YES! Most people with heart attacks survive. Symptoms may last for several hours and then resolve.
If I had a heart attack and have no symptoms now, what would you do for me?
Heart attacks are caused when fatty plaque in an artery blocks blood flow to the heart muscle. The decreased blood flow can cause the heart muscle can die and replaced with scar tissue. After a heart attack, there are a number of medications that must be started to prevent another attack and death. These include aspirin, statins, beta-blockers, among others. Risk factor control and exercise are also key components of care after a heart attack.

In addition, just like there was significant disease in the artery that led to the heart attack, there could be significant disease in the other arteries that supply blood to the heart. This needs assessment. Finally, if the heart attack was large enough, it could have resulted in a significant decline in heart function. This would initiate another set of care pathways.
If I passed out or had palpitations and feel fine now, do I need to be evaluated?
Passing out is a potential warning sign for serious heart rhythm problems that may lead to cardiac arrest. A thorough evaluation is warranted to prevent more serious episodes.

Palpitations have many causes. One of the common causes is atrial fibrillation. A common type of atrial fibrillation appears and disappears on its own. It is important to establish whether this is what you had, because atrial fibrillation is a leading cause of stroke, which is preventable with treatment with blood thinners.

All the concern around public health has increased my interest in my heart health. How can I be evaluated?

Is it safe to come to a medical office for evaluation and treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic?