Global Health Asia-Pacific July 2020 July 2020 | Page 26
Heart News
Is COVID-19 contributing to
a rare childhood heart disease?
Experts draw attention to a possible link between the virus
and Kawasaki syndrome
Scores of children with COVID-19 are showing signs of a rare
heart condition that in a small number of cases requires
intensive care, reported the BBC.
Up to 100 children have fallen ill in the UK, while similar cases
have been reported in other European countries and the US.
They showed a variety of symptoms, including high fever,
elevated inflammation markers, rash, and swelling, which are
also linked to �awasaki disease shock syndrome, an uncommon
condition that mainly affects children under five years of age.
Given that the cases are appearing during the pandemic, it’s
likely the syndrome is connected with COVID-19, Dr �iz Whittaker, a
clinical lecturer in paediatric infectious diseases and immunology
at Imperial College �ondon, told the ��C.
��ou’ve got the Covid-19 peak, and then three or four weeks
later we’re seeing a peak in this new phenomenon which makes us
think that it’s a post-infectious phenomenon,� she said.
Though most children responded to treatment and improved,
some required intensive care to breathe.
“There are some recent rare descriptions of children in some
European countries that have had this inflammatory syndrome,
which is similar to the �awasaki syndrome, but it seems to be very
rare. What we’ve asked for is for the global network of clinicians
to be on alert for this and to ensure that they capture information
on children systematically so that we can better understand what
is occurring in children and so that we can better improve our
understanding and guide treatment,� Dr Maria Van �erkhove, a
World Health Organization infectious disease epidemiologist, said
in a press conference.
New advice on pregnancy
and heart disease
Special care is needed before, during, and after
pregnancy, including stopping certain heart
medications
P
regnant women with heart disease should receive
pre-pregnancy counselling and specialised care
while being monitored after giving birth, according to a
new statement from the American Heart Association.
“Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of
pregnancy-related death and are increasing, possibly
because women are having babies at older ages and
are more likely to have preexisting heart disease or
heart disease risk factors,� said Dr �axmi Mehta, writing
group chair for the statement and director of preventive
cardiology and women’s cardiovascular health at The
Ohio �tate �niversity Wexner Medical Center, in a news
release.
Women with cardiovascular conditions including
chronic high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart
muscle disease, diabetes, or previous heart attacks,
should talk to a cardio-obstetric team of experts before
planning to get pregnant.
“For each of these cardiac conditions, pregnancy can
impact treatment as there are limitations in medication
management and invasive procedures given the potential
fetal risks. �or example, statin medications should not
be used to lower cholesterol during pregnancy because
these drugs could cause fetal abnormalities, according
to the most recent cholesterol guidelines. Women should
understand fetal risks and the risks to their own health
posed by heart conditions before becoming pregnant,�
said Dr Mehta. �If a woman is taking statin drugs, they
should be discontinued one to two months before
pregnancy is attempted.�
High blood pressure disorders like preeclampsia
are the most common cardiovascular problems among
pregnant women, therefore blood pressure should be
monitored closely.
Women can also do their part to increase the chances
of a healthy pregnancy.
“The role of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy –
whether or not a woman has a cardiovascular condition
� cannot be emphasized enough. Healthy diet, moderate
exercise including walking, smoking cessation and other
healthy behaviours are important tools for a healthy
pregnancy for both mother and child,� she said.
24 JULY 2020 GlobalHealthAndTravel.com