The risk of covid-related tachycardia is significantly higher than that associated with the vaccine. Researchers from the American Smidt Heart Institute have demonstrated a link between Covid-19 and postural orthostatic tachycardia (POTS), a disabling heart disease that most often affects women of childbearing age and manifests itself with a rapid increase in heartbeat within 10 minutes following the transition from lying to standing position. Heart rates can exceed 120 beats per minute, and symptoms may include fainting, dizziness, fatigue, migraines, increased urination, sweating extremities, anxiety, and trembling. Even a small percentage of those vaccinated against Sars-CoV-2 can develop this condition in the 3 months after the injection, but among those who fall ill with Covid, the probability of Pots is 5 times higher than in the post-vaccination period, the study authors specify , published in ‘Nature Cardiovascular Research’.
Scientists therefore confirm the importance of vaccination: “The main message – explains Alan C. Kwan, first author and corresponding author of the work – is that while we observe a possible link between anti-Covid vaccination and Pots, preventing the disease by getting vaccinated still remains the best way to reduce the risk” of this form of tachycardia.
From the analysis of over 280 thousand patients vaccinated against the pandemic coronavirus and over 12 thousand infected with Covid-19, the researchers observed that “the odds of developing Pots are higher in the 90 days after exposure to the vaccine than in the 90 days before exposure,” reports Kwan, even though “Pots rates after vaccination were much lower than post-illness rates.” This indicates “a possible, but still relatively weak, association between Covid-19 vaccination and POTS”.
The author concludes: “As physicians we recognize that vaccine side effects can vary in type and severity, although overall they remain rare. We hope that clearer data and a better understanding” of these events “will improve confidence, quality of care and communication on vaccines“, with the ultimate goal of “optimizing vaccination adherence”.