Four in 10 Adults Report Heart Symptoms During the Pandemic

And, one in four COVID-19 survivors says the virus impacted their heart health

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Four in 10 U.S. adults report experiencing at least one heart-related issue since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of a survey released Feb. 1 by the Cleveland Clinic.

The online survey was conducted between Nov. 8 and 26, 2021, and included 1,000 U.S. adults.

According to the results of the survey, 41 percent of adults have experienced at least one heart-related issue since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. The most common issues included shortness of breath (18 percent), dizziness (15 percent), increased blood pressure (15 percent), and chest pain (13 percent). Just over one in four Americans (27 percent) who tested positive for COVID-19 reported that their diagnosis has impacted their heart health. Furthermore, the pandemic appears to be having a negative effect on healthy behaviors, with more than three-quarters of respondents saying they often or sometimes sit throughout the day.

“COVID fatigue is a very real thing,” Samir Kapadia, M.D., chairman of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, said in a statement. “We know 90 percent of heart disease is preventable through a healthier diet, regular exercise, and not smoking, so now is the time to refocus on our heart health.”