FDA Warns of Heart Issues After COVID-19 Vaccine, Especially in Young Adults
Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are causing heart problems, mainly in younger adults, but the side effects are rare.
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) announced suggested increased risks of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart) following vaccination of either the Moderna or Pfizer shots.
There have been nearly 800 unconfirmed cases of heart problems reported to the vaccine safety monitoring system with 226 reports of myocarditis in people who are under age 30, according to WebMD - a small percentage of the millions who have received either vaccine without suffering any heart problems.
“Not all of these will turn out to be true myocarditis or pericarditis reports,” Tom Shimabukuro, MD, deputy director of the CDC’s Immunization Safety Office, told the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee
Reports of adverse events suggest increased risks of myocarditis and pericarditis, particularly following the second dose and with the onset of symptoms within a few days after vaccination.
You're advised to seek medical attention right away if you have chest pain, shortness of breath, or feelings of having a fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart after getting a vaccination.
Moderna Side Effects
The most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasted several days, were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, swollen lymph nodes in the same arm as the injection, nausea, and vomiting, and fever. Of note, more people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose.
Pfizer Side Effects
The most commonly reported side effects, which typically lasted several days, were pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever. Of note, more people experienced these side effects after the second dose than after the first dose.
The FDA and Center for Disease Control (CDC) are working together to monitor the reports, collecting more information, and assess longer-term outcomes over several months.