Covid linked to impaired heart function in critically ill patients, new study shows

Coronavirus doesn’t just affect ventilation but the heart too, says new study

A nurse wearing PPE works on a patient in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) in St George's Hospital in Tooting, south-west London. (PA)

Coronavirus has been linked to a reduction in the right side of the heart’s ability to pump blood, new research has found.

The study found that one in three critically ill Covid-19 patients had adnormalities in the right side of the heart - the area that pumps blood to the lungs.

The research was carried out in 10 intensive care units in Scotland, and looked at 121 critically ill patients who were having treatment on ventilators.