Doubts and certainties in post-COVID-19 outcome: role of the cardiologist in the structured evaluation of recovered patients

Report of the Argentine Federation of Cardiology (FAC)

Abstract

Post-acute COVID-19 ("long COVID") appears to be a multisistémica disease, sometimes occurring after an acute episode of the disease, even in relatively mild cases. The clinical management of this phase requires a comprehensive perspective of the patient. In this manuscript, a suggestion is made, as a proposal, for an algorithm that includes the way to approach the different follow-up strategies considering the presence of all comorbidities that condition the evolution of COVID, stratifying the risk according to the clinical picture that characterized the course of the disease (from the asymptomatic to the critical patient). The frequency and intensity of the post-discharge controls will be closer or further away depending on the severity of the initial condition. We must emphasize that the clinic should have a greater impact on our follow-up strategy than a simple isolated laboratory finding or the increase of a biomarker or results in some imaging method. The judicious use of follow-up methods must be guided by clinical judgment and avoid subjecting patients to unnecessary studies or generating excessive costs for the already demanded health system.