This research aims to inform patient management during the present COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Early findings suggest that patients with COVID-19 commonly experience conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular conditions) such as heart failure. Acute heart failure often leads to very severe outcomes including death. We are also interested in understanding the risk factors for longer-term cardiovascular outcomes in COVID-19 patients such as chronic heart failure. Those with cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, and who have experienced cardiovascular conditions in the past, seem to be at increased risk of poor COVID-19 outcomes. However, studies have reported several cases of cardiovascular events following a COVID-19 diagnosis in patients without a history of cardiovascular disease. It appears that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19, might be capable of directly causing damage to the heart and more research is required to understand which patients are likely to benefit from dedicated, specialist cardiac care and monitoring. This study will use UK Biobank data to collate cardiovascular risk factors in COVID-19 patients to assess their association with cardiovascular events including acute heart failure, chronic heart failure and death. We will analyse data from patients who have diagnoses of heart failure or other cardiovascular conditions, comparing biomarkers, risk factors and disease progression among those with a preceding COVID-19 diagnosis to those without.
