Coronavirus Disease and New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation: Two Cases

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 12; no. 5
• Main Authors: Taha, Mohamed E, Alsafi, Wail, Taha, Moutaz, Eljack, Ammar, Ibrahim, Hisham
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto Cureus Inc 12.05.2020; Cureus
• Subjects: Cardiac arrhythmia; Cardiology; Case reports; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Electrocardiography; Infectious Disease; Internal Medicine; Respiratory diseases; United States > US; Iowa City Iowa
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.8066

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has resulted in a considerable amount of morbidity and mortality worldwide since December 2019. Patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) most commonly present with respiratory manifestations, while cardiac manifestations were reported as a complication and seldom as a presenting feature. We report two cases of new-onset atrial fibrillation occurring in middle-aged men with no significant past medical history. The first patient presented with symptomatic atrial fibrillation; however, during his hospitalization course, he developed a fever, which led to the diagnosis of infection with SARS-CoV-2. The second patient presented from urgent care after being diagnosed with COVID-19 associated with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation. Both patients were treated symptomatically for COVID-19 and discharged home after reverting to sinus rhythm. Physicians should be aware of the variable clinical presentations of COVID-19, especially in new or worsening cardiac illnesses, in order to practice the appropriate personal protection practices. More studies are needed to identify the viral mechanisms leading to the dysregulation of cardiac rhythm.