BACKGROUND: Since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from China, the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused more than five milion deaths worldwide. Several studies have elucidated the role of risk factors in the prognosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the progression of COVID-19 pandemic. This systematic review assesses the link between COVID-19 and cardiovascular risk factors, and investigates the prognosis in the case of myocardial injury. METHODS: A literature search was performed to identify relevant articles in Pubmed, MEDLINE, Elsevier, and Google Scholar the last two years using the terms: COVID-19, CVD, risk factors, cardiovascular risk factors, SARS-CoV-2, lockdown, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. Exclusion criteria were the studies associated with pediatric and pregnant COVID-19 patients. RESULTS: After screening through 3071 articles, 10 studies were included in this review that captured the findings from 3912 participants. Included studies found that preexisting CVD was linked to worse outcomes and increased risk of death in patients with COVID-19, whereas COVID-19 itself also induced myocardial injury, arrhythmia, acute coronary syndrome, and venous thromboembolism. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity were associated with intensive care unit admission and poor prognosis. Cardiovascular risk factors are crucial for the progression of COVID-19, and infected patients should be constantly monitored and follow strict hygiene and decrease their social interactions.

Clinic of Cardiology and Angiology Acibadem City Clinic Cardiovascular Center 1407 Sofia Bulgaria

Department of Kinesitherapy Faculty of Public Health Prof Dr Tzecomir Vodenicharov Ph D Medical University of Sofia 1431 Sofia Bulgaria

Department of Medical Imaging Allergology and Physiotherapy Faculty of Dental Medicine Medical University of Plovdiv 4002 Plovdiv Bulgaria

Department of Public Health Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University Brno 60177 Brno Czech Republic

Department of Rehabilitation University Hospital Brno 62500 Brno Czech Republic

Physiotherapy Department Faculty of Health Sciences University of Thessaly 35100 Lamia Greece

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What can multiple causes of death tell about cardiovascular mortality during COVID-19 pandemic in the United States?

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How the COVID-19 pandemic influences the prevalence of pressure injuries in the Czech Republic: A nationwide analysis of a health registry in 2020

Effectiveness of Home-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation, Using Wearable Sensors, as a Multicomponent, Cutting-Edge Intervention: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis