The number of athletes suffering from myocarditis — inflammation of the heart muscle — after COVID-19 infection is less common than previously thought, the American College of Cardiology said in new guidance released Tuesday.
The backdrop: Professional and collegiate sports officials have paused games and leagues due to fears athletes would suffer from myocarditis after a COVID-19 infection, ABC News reports.
Yes, but: The ACC said in its guidance — which was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology — that the number of athletes with myocarditis is lower than originally thought.
What’s next: The ACC said leagues and athletic organizations need to develop a plan to help athletes return to competitions after infection.
What they’re saying: “For athletes recovering from COVID-19 with ongoing cardiopulmonary symptoms … further evaluation should be performed before resuming exercise,” the ACC experts said, according to ABC News. “For all others who are asymptomatic or with symptoms less suggestive of a cardiopulmonary etiology … additional cardiac testing is not recommended.”
Worth noting: There have also been concerns about younger men suffering from myocarditis after getting the COVID-19 vaccine, too, as I reported for the Deseret News.