Covid 19 Vaccines & Myocarditis: Should We Be Concerned? A Cardiologist Perspective
There has been a lot of hoopla lately regarding a possible connection between the COVID -19 vaccine and myocarditis in young people under the age of 30. Is there truly a causal link here and how concerned should we be?
How did this evolve?
In early June, the CDC issued a note to healthcare providers raising awareness of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination, particularly in younger males. That guidance stated that, since April, there had been an increase in reports of myocarditis and pericarditis after getting the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, but that there had not been a similar reporting pattern following the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
The CDC's "clinical considerations" update followed a May 24 report from Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP)'s COVID-19 Vaccine Safety Technical (VaST) Work Group, which found "a higher number of observed than expected myocarditis/pericarditis cases in 16- to 24-year-olds" in Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) data within 30 days of dose 2, though it didn't see the same pattern in data from Vaccine Safety Datalink.
The data is a bit confusing, but obviously there needs to be more surveillance as more persons in these younger age groups get vaccinated. Important meetings will be held this week as the CDC’s vaccine safety team provides more data on myocarditis and pericarditis.
The country saw 275 cases of myocarditis from December 2020 to May 2021 among more than 5 million vaccinated people, according to Reuters. Most of these patients spent no more than 4 days in the hospital, and 95% of cases were classified as mild. The association appeared strongest among men ages 16 to 19 and was more common after the second dose.
Symptoms of myocarditis and pericarditis include chest pain, shortness of breath or palpitations. In most cases, patients responded well to medications and rest, and their symptoms improved quickly.
How to make sense of it all?
Though a causal relationship between vaccination and myocarditis has yet to be established, the possibility for a relationship does exist and obviously we need more data. In the interim, we continue to recommend vaccinations because the benefits outweigh the risks.
We must remember that there have been more then 4 million COGVID-19 cases in children under the age of 18 that have resulted in over 15,000 hospitalizations and between 300 and 600 deaths.
My take on all this:
Don’t overthink these findings. Have faith that true science won’t fail us. We will learn more in the coming weeks. Also be aware of the anti-vaxer activists who attempt to spread disinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
There exists a huge database for detecting rare but potentially serious vaccine side effects. Epidemiologists consider this a starting point in their search for causal events. Known as the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, or VAERS, this database has played a major role in the spread of misinformation about COVID-19 vaccines.
As your own Medical Advocate, weigh your options carefully before making judgment. It’s all about staying in the driver’s seat when it comes to your health.
VERY IMPORTANT NOTE / DISCLAIMER: I am offering—always—only general information and my own opinion on this site. Always contact your physician or a health professional before starting any treatments, exercise programs or using supplements. ©Howard Elkin MD FACC, 2021