Date Time Indirect effects of COVID-19 on your heart The headlines are focused on the numbers surrounding COVID-19 cases, but there are some troubling indirect effects of the pandemic that Baylor College of Medicine cardiologists are saying we can’t ignore. Recent studies have found that there has been an increase in cardiovascular related deaths over the past year, and while there are a number of factors, one is thought to be related to the deferment of doctor visits. “When it comes to heart health, we are seeing that people are deferring their care out of fear of heading to the clinician’s office and being exposed to COVID-19,” said Dr. Salim Virani, professor of medicine – cardiology at Baylor and a staff cardiologist at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center. “But the rules of engagement regarding heart health and emergencies should not change.”