Long Covid and Adverse HRV

health

Mar 6

We’ve discussed the perils of responsibly managing our HRV and now we have concerning news that Long Covid may be a trite, but dire danger, to our HRV health.

Here’s how ChatGPT Plus describes the peril:

Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), is a condition where people continue to experience symptoms long after they have recovered from the acute phase of COVID-19. One of the ways in which long COVID can affect HRV (Heart Rate Variability) is by reducing it.
HRV is a measure of the variation in time between successive heartbeats and is often used as a marker of autonomic nervous system function. The autonomic nervous system controls many functions in the body, including the heart rate, and is responsible for regulating the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the nervous system.
Reduced HRV is a sign of decreased autonomic nervous system function and can result from various factors, including stress, inflammation, and infection. In the case of long COVID, it is thought that the persistent inflammation and oxidative stress caused by the virus may contribute to a decrease in HRV.
It's important to note that more research is needed to fully understand the relationship between long COVID and HRV, and to determine the underlying mechanisms responsible for the reduction in HRV in this population.

Here’s a more succinct, if highly technical, research paper — Cardiac Autonomic Function in Long COVID-19 Using Heart Rate Variability: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study — that more cohesively explains the conclusions of the study:

Long COVID-19 is associated with a preponderance of parasympathetic activity in autonomic heart rhythm control. This is a study to assess HRV in long COVID-19 patients utilizing frequency and spectrum analysis. Dysautonomia may explain long COVID-19 patients’ symptoms. Vagal dysfunction in these people may be caused by procoagulation and heart strain.
The impairment of cholinergic nerve fibers in individuals with long COVID-19 may indicate that the vagus nerve is dysfunctional. In our laboratory, we are determining whether or not individuals with long COVID-19 have abnormal autonomic innervation. Our research may have applications in the medical field. Treatment that is appropriate has the potential to improve both the clinical presentation and prognosis of long COVID-19 patients. Patients on the long COVID-19 protocol need to be carefully watched for signs of decreased vagal activity, prolonged elevations in NT-ProBNP, and a prothrombotic condition.

We don’t yet understand much about the incoming perils with Long Covid. It appears there is growing evidence that Long Covid is already adversely affecting people’s lungs, and hearts, and the need for urgent emergency transplantation — and we have to be cautious, and careful, about moving forward in a safe way that leads to longevity and conservative recovery!