European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

A new coronavirus, called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in late December 2019, Wuhan (Hubei, China). The disease, now known as COVID-19, has spread rampant and has given rise to a pandemic world that has precipitated draconian measures to limit its transmission. COVID-19 has demonstrated a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic or paucisymptomatic forms, to severe viral pneumonia with respiratory failure, multi-organ and systemic dysfunction, and high morbidity and mortality. The body's hyper inflammatory response has been associated, along with the possible direct effects of SARS-CoV-2 on organs throughout the body via ACE2. Disseminated intravascular coagulation is another common complication. The inflammatory response caused by COVID-19 in the lung due to the virus itself developing pneumonia, followed by cytokine storm and hemophagocytic syndrome causes a hyper coagulation state manifesting small and large vein and arterial thrombosis and likely DEC. Many hyper coagulation biomarkers such as D-dimer, elevated cytokines such as Il-6, and inflammation parameters such as C reactive protein support this clinical picture. Anticoagulant treatment with heparin and anti platelet should always be ordered.