COVID-19 and the heart

Learn more about COVID-19 and the heart, including information for people with heart conditions.

Heart tests can tell you about the health of your heart.

In this article

What is COVID-19?

COVID-19 is a virus that can affect your lungs, airways, heart and other organs. It is one of a large group of viruses called coronaviruses.

COVID-19 symptoms include:

  • a new or worsening cough
  • sneezing and runny nose
  • a fever
  • shortness of breath
  • temporary loss of smell or altered sense of taste
  • sore throat
  • extreme tiredness.

Less common symptoms may include:

  • diarrhoea
  • headache
  • muscle pain or body aches
  • nausea
  • vomiting
  • malaise — a general feeling of discomfort, illness or unease
  • chest pain
  • abdominal pain
  • joint pain
  • confusion or irritability.

Most people have some but not all of these symptoms. Some people will have no symptoms.

If you have severe chest pain or difficulty breathing, call 111 immediately.

Impact of COVID-19 on the heart

COVID-19 can affect several organs in the body, including the heart. The virus damages the cells that line the blood vessels (endothelial cells). This can affect the blood supply to the heart and body and can also cause abnormal blood clotting.

Emerging evidence shows that catching the COVID-19 virus increases your risk of developing a wide range of heart conditions including:

The risk appears to be increased even if you’ve only had a mild case of COVID-19 infection and don’t have a pre-existing heart condition.

The single best way to reduce your risk from COVID-19 is to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and keep up to date with additional doses.

Am I more at risk from COVID-19 if I have a heart condition?

People with a heart condition are more likely to become severely ill from COVID-19. This includes people with:

You are also more likely to become seriously ill if you have certain heart disease risk factors including:

There are some conditions that put you at greater risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19. To find out more information about those, please see Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.

Heart medication and COVID-19

It is really important you continue to take your heart medication as usual if you catch COVID-19. If you need further information please talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Stopping your medication could be dangerous and make your condition worse, putting you at greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19.

Antiviral medicine for COVID-19

To find out the latest information on antiviral medication for COVID-19, including who is eligible, see Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe if I have a heart condition?

The COVID-19 vaccine is safe for most people with heart conditions. In fact, for most people with heart conditions, your heart is at greater risk from catching the COVID-19 virus than it is from getting the vaccine.

If you’ve had a case of heart inflammation (myocarditis, and/or pericarditis), you’ll need to talk to your doctor first about whether a COVID-19 vaccination is safe for you.

Before having a COVID-19 vaccine, there are several things to consider. Please refer to Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora on COVID-19 vaccines for more information.

Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe if I’m on heart medication?

Yes. You can get the COVID-19 vaccination and continue to take your heart medication as usual.

Let your vaccinator know if you’re on blood-thinning medication. You may experience a little more bruising at the injection site, so it’s a good idea to press for a little longer on the site after your injection.

Myocarditis, pericarditis and COVID-19 vaccines

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle. Pericarditis is inflammation of the tissue forming a sac around the heart.

These conditions are often caused by viral infections including COVID-19, however they are also a very rare but serious side effect of some COVID-19 vaccines. (The risk of myocarditis is highest in people aged 16 to 30 years, particularly age 16–18, and is higher in men.)

However, the evidence suggests that, on balance, you are much more likely to get myocarditis or pericarditis from catching the COVID-19 virus than you are from having the vaccine.

What are the effects of long COVID on the heart?

People who have had COVID-19 may be more likely to develop new health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, blood clots or neurological conditions, compared with people who have not had COVID-19.

Research has shown that after the first four weeks following COVID-19 infection, people are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke, including heart attacks, heart rhythm problems, heart failure, pericarditis, myocarditis and blood clots to the lungs. There is also an increased risk of POTS, a condition associated with a rapid increase in heart rate after standing up, which can cause dizziness, fainting and palpitations. These can occur even in people who have a mild case of COVID and did not need to go to hospital.

To find out more, see the Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora information on long COVID.