INFLUENCE OF ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION ON THE OCCURRENCE AND COURSE OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IN PATIENTS AFTER CORONAVIRUS DISEASE (COVID-19)

Abstract

Objective: To determine the influence of arterial hypertension on the occurrence and course of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients after suffering from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Design and method: The study included 187 patients aged 62.5±0.9 years (47% men, 53% women). The first three groups formed 116 patients who had AF and underwent COVID-19. The first group (G1) consisted of 36 patients who developed AF for the first time after COVID-19. The second group (G2) was represented by 25 patients in whom the transformation of the paroxysmal form of AF into persistent, or persistent AF into its permanent form occurred. The third group (G3) consisted of 55 patients in whom the form of AF did not change. Two control groups (CG) were also formed: control group 1 (CG1) - 49 patients with AF who did not have a history of COVID-19, and control group 2 (CG2) - 22 patients with extrasystole who experienced COVID-19, but who did not develop AF. Results: Arterial hypertension was a common comorbidity in patients with AF who underwent COVID-19. In patients who developed AF after COVID-19 (G1), arterial hypertension occurred 1.4 times more often (83,3% vs 59,1%, p<0.001) than in patients who suffered from COVID-19, but this type of arrhythmia did not develop (comparison CG 2). The presence of hypertension worsened the course of AF in patients who had this arrhythmia before COVID-19. Thus, in patients of G2, in whom AF transformation took place, in comparison with patients in whom the form of AF did not change G3 (88,4% vs 80,0%, p<0,05), hypertension occurred more often. Conclusions: Arterial hypertension is one of the most common diseases in patients with atrial fibrillation after the coronavirus infection, which contributed to the emergence of new paroxysms of AF and worsened the course of already existing arrhythmia.