Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction and COVID-19, when the Sick Get Sicker: Unmasking Racial and Ethnic Inequities During a Pandemic

Abstract

Minoritized racial and ethnic groups have the highest incidence, prevalence, and hospitalization rate for heart failure. Despite improvement in medical therapies and overall survival, the morbidity and mortality of these groups remain elevated. The reasons for this disparity are multifactorial, including social determinant of health (SDOH) such as access to care, bias, and structural racism. These same factors contributed to higher rates of COVID-19 infection among minoritized racial and ethnic groups. In this review, we aim to explore the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and its interconnection between heart failure and SDOH. The pandemic presents a window of opportunity for achieving greater equity in the health care of all vulnerable populations.

Keywords: COVID-19; Ethnic disparities; Heart failure; Racial disparities.