Cardiovascular problems in ME/CFS

Cardiac and cardiovascular problems occur as part of a wide range of signs and symptoms in ME/CFS.

ME International Consensus Criteria symptoms
Cardiovascular symptoms may include (but are not limited to):
 * inability to tolerate an upright position - which includes:
 * orthostatic intolerance (OI)
 * neurally mediated hypotension
 * postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
 * heart palpitations with or without cardiac arrhythmias
 * lightheadedness/dizziness
 * tachycardia

The Institute of Medicine (2015) symptoms

 * dysautonomia, including:
 * neurally mediated hypotension
 * orthostatic intolerance
 * postural orthostatic tachycardia

Other symptoms

 * arrhythmia
 * bradycardia (slow heart rate)
 * chest pain
 * dyspnea (breathlessness)
 * endothelial dysfunction
 * heart rate variability abnormalities
 * hypotension (low blood pressure)
 * low blood volume
 * poor circulation (including cold hands and feet)
 * reduced cardiac volume
 * small heart syndrome
 * small left ventricle (in the heart) and
 * short QT interval

Notable studies

 * 2006, Shortened QT interval: a distinctive feature of the dysautonomia of chronic fatigue syndrome - (Abstract)
 * 2008, Small Heart Syndrome in Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - (Abstract)
 * 2015, Cardiac dysfunction and orthostatic intolerance in patients with myalgic encephalomyelitis and a small left ventricle - (Abstract)
 * 2016, Reduced cardiac volumes in chronic fatigue syndrome associate with plasma volume but not length of disease: a cohort study - (Full text)
 * 2016, Chronic fatigue syndrome in women assessed with combined cardiac magnetic resonance imaging - (Full Text)
 * 2017, Elevated brain natriuretic peptide levels in chronic fatigue syndrome associate with cardiac dysfunction: a case control study - (Full text)
 * 2018, Cardiovascular characteristics of chronic fatigue syndrome - (Full Text)
 * 2019, Evidence of altered cardiac autonomic regulation in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome - (Full text)

Learn more

 * Heart Palpitations, Heart Pounding and Heart Fluttering - Oh Lord!..A Cardiologist on Heart Racing and Arrhythmias in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Health Rising
 * "Cardiac Symptoms and Abnormalities Documented in CFS Patients: (A summary of 4 studies by Lerner et al.)" by the Massachusetts CFIDS/ME & FM Association