Mikael Björnson
Image source: Karolinska Institutet; photo: Catarina Thepper
The study has been published in the scientific journal Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, is a condition where the heart beats abnormally quick when altering position from lying down to standing up. Standing up is a challenge for those affected who feel dizzy and would rather sit or lie down, so called orthostatic intolerance. Their hearts may also beat quicker than normal at rest and during exertion. Patients experience fatigue and difficulties concentrating, symptoms that are common in long Covid. Now, researchers at Karolinska Institutet reveal that POTS occurs in almost a third of patients with severe long Covid. By comparison, less than one per cent of the Swedish population was affected by POTS before the pandemic.
“Previous, compacter studies have revealn that there is a connection, but now we can state with certainty that POTS is a very common condition in patients with long Covid. This is valuable knowledge for both healthcare professionals and patients,” states Mikael Björnson, doctoral student at the Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet.
According to the researchers, this study is the largest and most detailed to date on the link between POTS and long Covid. A total of 467 patients with severe long Covid who had not been hospitalized for Covid-19 were examined. Ninety-one per cent were middle-aged women who were essentially healthy and physically active before they developed long Covid. At an average of twelwe months after falling ill, they underwent physical tests and completed forms about their health. Those who revealed signs of possible POTS also received an assessment from a cardiologist after further, tarreceiveed tests.
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