As more data on Covid-19 patients become available, the disease appears particularly devastating for cardiovascular patients. In fact, preliminary data from several European countries demonstrate that a considerable number of people who die, or are hospitalized with, Covid-19 are patients with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases. Another, rather recent observation, once again from several European countries and the United States, is that a number of patients with Covid-19 developed blood clots, with a significant increase in young people having a stroke.
Considering this, more data are urgently needed. It is critical to ensure that high-quality, comparable data from hospitals across Europe, treating COVID-19 patients, are gathered to be able to understand the full picture of COVID-19 and the cardiovascular system. To this end, the European Heart Network has published a position paper to support the CAPACITY COVID (CAPACITY) Registers, led by the CardioVascular Alliance. CAPACITY registers data on the cardiovascular history, diagnostic information and occurrence of cardiovascular complications in patients with Covid-19. By collecting this information, in a standardised manner, CAPACITY aims to provide more insight into the vulnerability and clinical course of Covid-19 in patients with cardiovascular diseases, provide data on their incidence and, more generally, investigate the role of cardiovascular diseases in the Covid-19 pandemic. This should lead to providing cardiovascular patients with the best possible care, and to be prepared for future outbreaks.
