BOISE, Idaho — Following the death of 45-year-old Samantha Hickey, a nurse practitioner from Caldwell who died from complications from the coronavirus, misinformation about her death has circulated on social media.
Some went as far as to say her death had nothing to do with COVID-19, but that she simply had the virus when she passed away from a heart attack, which simply isn't true.
Dr. Nathan Green, the medical director of Heart & Vascular Services for the St. Luke's Health System, wrote a letter to the community on behalf of the family of Samantha Hickey.
Last week, Hickey became the first known healthcare worker in Idaho to die from COVID-19.
Dr. Green said he hopes that by sharing this letter, hickey's death cannot be politicized. He wrote about social media misinformation surrounding Hickey's death.
In his letter, Green explained that COVID-19 is a new virus scientists still know very little about.
What we do know, Green said, "Not only can the virus cause severe pneumonia and lung failure, but it can also cause unique cardiovascular injury. In some patients with COVID-19, the stress from the infection and inflammation causes small heart attacks that can be identified through blood tests. In other patients and for reasons that we don't understand yet, COVID-19 causes clotting within the blood vessels that can result in heart attacks and strokes."
Green went on to explain that the virus can directly attack the heart muscle itself and cause disease.
He wrote, "Sometimes, the virus causes so much damage to the heart muscle that patients die from rhythm abnormalities or shock because their heart can no longer function. Sadly, Samantha Hickey died from cardiac shock due to COVID-19 myocarditis. She was an otherwise healthy 45-year-old before becoming infected."
Even as front line medical workers sacrifice their life, people continue to question if coronavirus is serious. Dr. Green said that COVID-19 is a dangerous disease, even to those who are healthy.
He finished his letter by saying, "My hope is that we're not too far down this path of rapid growth and that Samantha Hickey will be the last one to die from COVID-19 myocarditis in Idaho. Simple things like wearing a face covering, washing your hands, and watching your distance can interrupt transmission, but only if we're all in this together."
Below is the full letter:
I am the Medical Director of Heart & Vascular Services for St. Luke’s Health System. Over the last four months, my team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, vascular surgeons, and highly specialized cardiovascular staff have cared for many critically ill patients with COVID-19. Earlier in July, my team cared for one of our own, St. Luke’s nurse practitioner Samantha Hickey. Despite heroic efforts to save her life, she died from COVID-19.
I am writing this letter on behalf of the Hickey family who have provided consent to publicly share details about her health. Last week, misinformation about Samantha was circulated via social media. She deserves to have accurate information about her death be shared, so that her death cannot be politicized.
SARS-CoV-2, or the virus that causes the disease COVID-19, is a new virus that we still know very little about. Not only can the virus cause severe pneumonia and lung failure, but it can also cause unique cardiovascular injury. In some patients with COVID-19, the stress from the infection and inflammation causes small heart attacks that can be identified through blood tests. In other patients and for reasons that we don’t understand yet, COVID-19 causes clotting within the blood vessels that can result in heart attacks and strokes.
In addition, the virus can directly attack the heart muscle itself and cause a disease called viral myocarditis. Myocarditis can happen to anyone of any age and it is unpredictable who will become severely ill. Sometimes, the virus causes so much damage to the heart muscle that patients die from rhythm abnormalities or shock because their heart can no longer function.
Sadly, Samantha Hickey died from cardiac shock due to COVID-19 myocarditis. She was an otherwise healthy 45-year-old before becoming infected.
COVID-19 is a dangerous disease, even to those who are healthy. We are seeing significant growth in Idaho, and especially in Ada and Canyon counties. My hope is that we’re not too far down this path of rapid growth and that Samantha Hickey will be the last one to die from COVID-19 myocarditis in Idaho. Simple things like wearing a face covering, washing your hands, and watching your distance can interrupt transmission, but only if we’re all in this together.
Nathan E Green, MD, FACC
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