July 26, 2022 -- For the first time, researchers have learned how the COVID-19 virus can inflame the heart muscle cells and cause heart injury, a new report says. “Heart damage is common among patients hospitalized with COVID-19, leading many to wonder how the virus affects the heart,” according to a release from the American Heart Association. “Now, researchers have found that the spike protein from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus can lead to heart muscle injury through the inflammatory process.” The spike protein is on the surface of the COVID -19 virus, also known as...