COVID-19 may trigger heart condition in young athletes
Myocarditis has also been linked in some young people to the COVID-19 vaccine. But the odds are far greater that this inflammation of the heart muscle will occur in those who get COVID-19 infection itself, experts said.
“We’re still learning about how the virus attacks the heart,” said lead researcher Dr. Jean Jeudy, a professor of radiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
“Myocarditis is part of the body’s reaction to fighting the infection, but it’s also in response to the virus trying to attack the heart,” Jeudy said.
Myocarditis is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. It can affect the heart’s rhythm and ability to pump. It can also cause lasting scarring of the heart muscle, Jeudy’s team noted.
The risk for myocarditis among people with COVID-19 is 16 times higher than among those without the infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Jeudy and his colleagues said that myocarditis has been linked to up to 20% of sudden deaths in young athletes.
Concern had been raised that myocarditis can occur after being vaccinated for COVID-19, especially among young males like those in this study.
According to the CDC, however, there are approximately 50 cases of myocarditis for every 1 million young men vaccinated, far below the risk of myocarditis from COVID-19 itself.
Based on its data, the CDC says the benefit from the vaccine far outweighs the risk of getting myocarditis.
More Stories
Fake Article Falsely Links Dr. Sanjay Gupta to CBD Products
Quick Take CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta has reported extensively on the growing popularity of cannabis-based products. But...
Rise of right-wing apps seen worsening midterm disinformation
A growing constellation of right-wing social media apps and sites are seeing their user bases grow, creating an echo chamber that experts fear will promote disinformation and outright lies about the midterm elections.A major concern: increased calls for violence. What began in the past few years as fringe and sparsely populated alternatives to established social media…
Jan. 6 panel subpoenas Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell
The House Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol subpoenaed former President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday along with...
Airlines call on Biden admin to halt 5G deployment near airports
The U.S. airline industry on Monday has again called on the Biden administration to halt the deployment of 5G near airports. File Photo by Bill Greenblatt/UPI | License Photo Jan. 18 (UPI) — The United States’ leading airlines have again called on the Biden administration to not implement 5G technology near airports, stating to do…
North Korea says latest launch was test of tactical guided missiles
1/2 North Korea said Tuesday that its latest weapons test verified the accuracy of a tactical guided missile system. Analysts say Pyongyang fired a pair of KN-24 solid-fuel short-range ballistic missiles, highly maneuverable weapons based on the American ATACMS. Photo by KCNA/EPA-EFE SEOUL, Jan. 18 (UPI) — North Korea confirmed the accuracy of a pair…
Rand Paul cancels DirecTV subscription after it drops OAN
Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulTrump slams Biden, voices unsubstantiated election fraud claims at first rally of 2022 Overnight Energy & Environment — Lummis holds up Biden EPA picks Photos of the Week: Voting rights, former Sen. Harry Reid and snowy owls MORE (R-Ky.) says he is canceling his subscription to DirecTV after the company announced…