28/04/2021
COVID 19 VACCINE IN CARDIAC ILLNESS:
It is important that all patients with cardiovascular conditions receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The vaccine does not necessarily prevent people from catching the COVID-19 infection, but it will reduce the likelihood of serious illness which may require hospital admission, and could result in death. People with heart disease may be at increased risk of dying from COVID-19 because the infection places stress on the heart through several mechanisms, including direct inflammation of the heart. Therefore, it is essential that all patients with heart disease accept the vaccination when offered.
Patients with heart disease and circulation conditions include those with atrial fibrillation, angina, cardiomyopathy, congenital heart disease, diabetes, dementia, heart attack, heart failure, heart transplant, pulmonary embolus (blood clot in the lungs), peripheral vascular disease (hardening of the arteries), stroke or transient ischaemic attack (minor stroke).
The COVID-19 vaccine trials included patients with heart disease and did not demonstrate any serious effects from the vaccine in such patients. The most common complaints in all patients included pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain or chills. The arm may be stiff and painful for a couple of days. Fatigue and chills are secondary to the effects of the immune system recognising the viral proteins as foreign. It does not mean that the vaccine has resulted in COVID-19 infection.
It is possible that, during the second vaccine when the immune response to the vaccine is likely to be more exaggerated, patients who have severe heart disease and are generally breathless at rest may feel slightly more unwell due to a mild fever and flu-like symptoms. These effects will be short lived, lasting approximately 24-48 hours and respond to paracetamol and increased fluid intake.
A severe allergic reaction has the potential to make patients with heart disease very ill. This risk, however, is extremely rare, affecting one person out of 2 million. The benefits of being vaccinated far outweigh the risk of a serious allergic reaction and, therefore, the risk should not discourage people from receiving the vaccine.
There are no reported interactions between the vaccine and heart medications. It is essential that heart medications are not omitted prior to, or after, the vaccine. Some patients who are on blood thinning medications may develop tenderness, swelling and bruising around the injection site
