Management of Atrial Fibrillation in COVID-19 Pandemic

Circ J. 2020 Sep 25;84(10):1679-1685. doi: 10.1253/circj.CJ-20-0566. Epub 2020 Sep 9.

Abstract

The health crisis due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has shocked the world, with more than 1 million infections and casualties. COVID-19 can present from mild illness to multi-organ involvement, but especially acute respiratory distress syndrome. Cardiac injury and arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation (AF), are not uncommon in COVID-19. COVID-19 is highly contagious, and therapy against the virus remains premature and largely unknown, which makes the management of AF patients during the pandemic particularly challenging. We describe a possible pathophysiological link between COVID-19 and AF, and therapeutic considerations for AF patients during this pandemic.

Keywords: Ablation; Antiarrhythmic drugs; Atrial fibrillation; Oral anticoagulation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / therapeutic use*
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use*
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / drug therapy*
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
  • Betacoronavirus*
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Drug Treatment
  • Catheter Ablation / methods
  • Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Cytokines / blood
  • Drug Interactions
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / physiopathology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / virology
  • Risk
  • SARS-CoV-2

Substances

  • Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
  • Anticoagulants
  • Antiviral Agents
  • Cytokines
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2