CVICVD

CVICVD, short for Cardiovascular Injury and Complications in Viral Diseases, is a term used in medical literature to describe the spectrum of cardiovascular involvement arising during or after viral infections, most prominently in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The concept encompasses myocardial injury, myocarditis, arrhythmias, heart failure, thromboembolic events, and microvascular dysfunction that can accompany acute infection or persist as long-term sequelae.

Pathophysiology is multifactorial and may include direct viral invasion of the myocardium, systemic inflammatory response and cytokine-mediated injury, endothelial dysfunction, hypercoagulability, hypoxia, and stress-induced cardiomyopathy.

Clinical presentation varies and can include chest pain, dyspnea, palpitations, fatigue, and signs of heart failure. Laboratory and imaging abnormalities such as elevated troponin, natriuretic peptides, ECG changes, echocardiographic dysfunction, and cardiac magnetic resonance findings support the assessment, though presentations may overlap with noncardiac illness.

Diagnosis relies on excluding other causes of cardiac symptoms and uses a combination of biomarkers, imaging, and clinical history. Careful evaluation is required to delineate acute coronary syndromes, myocarditis, and other cardiac conditions that may mimic or accompany viral disease.

Management focuses on treating the underlying infection where possible and applying standard cardiovascular therapies for the specific condition, including antithrombotic or antiarrhythmic strategies, heart failure medications, and supportive care, tailored to disease severity and patient factors.

Epidemiology and prognosis vary with age, comorbidities, and viral burden. In COVID-19, CVICVD has been associated with increased mortality and longer hospital stay, though many patients recover with appropriate management. As a term, CVICVD is used descriptively in studies rather than representing a single formal diagnosis, and its definitions differ across research, necessitating standardized criteria for comparison.