HJAR Jan/Feb 2021

42 JAN / FEB 2021 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF ARKANSAS DIRECTOR’S DESK ALOGUE COLUMN SECRETARY’S CORNER WITHAmerican Heart Month recognized in February, theArkansas Department of Health encourages healthcare professionals to be mindful of heart disease and to look for ways to discuss heart health with their patients. Heart health is more important than ever as the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise. Health officials are still learning about the effects of COVID-19 on the human heart, although early studies show COVID-19 is causing inflammation to the heart muscle, also known as myocarditis. Up to 78% of patients recently recovered from COVID-19 were shown to have ongoing inflammation, according to a study published in the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA). That study is among a growing number to report that recovered COVID-19 patients are experiencing some type of heart damage even if they did not have underlying heart Heart Health and COVID-19 disease and were not sick enough to be hospitalized. However, the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the heart are not yet known. There simply has not been enough time and information on this yet. The bottom line is there are still a lot of unknowns, including whether the residual inflammation is reversible or irreversible. Healthcare professionals should proceed with caution, ensuring appropriate follow- ups are done and that additional strain is not placed on the heart. This is especially important when children are involved. Caution is needed regarding the time frame for children to return to physical activity. If your child is diagnosed with COVID-19, talk with your child’s doctor about returning to physical activity. Achild should start with 15 minutes of activity and gradually increase to 30 minutes, then 60 minutes and then unlimited activity. While athletic activities HEART DISEASE IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN. ARKANSAS LEADS THE NATION WITH THE HIGHEST RATE OF DEATHS DUE TO HEART ATTACKS.