Frequently Asked Questions

  • As a participant in this registry, you will be informed of any worsening of your heart disease. This is important because atherosclerosis is a major risk factor for cardiovascular events. The stress of the pandemic and exposure to COVID-19 may increase your risk of progressing your atherosclerosis. These findings can help you and your doctor to make decisions about your cardiovascular preventive care, such as medications, lifestyle changes, and follow-up testing.

  • The scan will expose you to a small amount of radiation, but the dose will mostly be less than 5 millisieverts (mSv).

  • We will collect the following data from you to better understand the long-term effects of COVID-19 on your cardiovascular health:

    · Demographic information, such as your age, sex, race, and ethnicity.

    · A 2nd coronary CT scan (CCTA) scan to see how your coronary arteries have changed since your first scan.

    · Blood samples to measure your C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level, an inflammatory marker, and cholesterol profile.

    · A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) to check for any changes in your heart rhythm or electrical activity, including any signs of a heart attack that may have gone undetected.

    · Your heart rate and blood pressure. These measurements can help us assess your overall cardiovascular health.

    · Information about your current medications, including when you take them and whether you are taking them as prescribed.

    · A history of chest pain or other symptoms of heart disease, such as shortness of breath or fatigue.

    · Information about any emergency department (ED) visits or hospitalizations you have had since your initial CCTA scan.

    · Whether you have experienced any fatigue or shortness of breath since you had COVID-19. These symptoms can be a sign of long COVID-19, which is a condition that can affect people who have had COVID-19 for months after their initial infection.

  • Patient information will be stored in study computers using patient identification and site numbers; without other identifiers – except CT date which is required to track timing of the second CCTA. All medical records and answers to questions will be kept private. CCTA scans will be sent externally to study investigators for the purposes of quantitative interpretation. All scans will be de-identified prior to sending the scans outside of the institution. Study staff will not provide private information to anyone outside the registry, except to comply with legal requests. All study staff will be required to complete training on the handling of personal health information. Confidential case report forms will be kept in a secure and locked offices.

  • The only people who will have access to your de-identified information are the study staff, who are required to complete training on the handling of personal health information.

  • You can withdraw from the registry at any time, for any reason.

  • As a participant in the COVID CT Registry, you will not be responsible for any costs associated with the study. All testing is Paid for by the National Institutes of Health.