Introduction:

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). In addition to direct tissue invasion, SARS-CoV-2 can also elicit an exaggerated host immune response, often leading to a cytokine storm, significantly contributing to multi-organ dysfunction. Autoimmune diseases are characterized by a pro-inflammatory state, accelerated atherosclerosis and an increased incidence of vascular complications, which is why there is a high risk of complications in the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in these patients. Altered immune system regulation, increased metabolic demand, and procoagulant activity likely explain part of the increased risk of adverse outcomes in people with Covid-19-related atherosclerotic disease.

Objective:

To update the knowledge of health personnel in the management of these diseases.

Method:

We reviewed articles in PubMed, SciELO and Google Scholar with a controlled vocabulary strategy, from December 2019 to November 2020. We selected a total of 50 articles.

Findings:

The high production of autoantibodies, whether secondary to rheumatic disease or due to intercurrent infection, may be involved in the development of endothelial dysfunction, the progression and rupture of the atherosclerotic plaque.

Discussion:

It has been shown that these autoimmune chronic diseases are associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, so the doctor of these times must be able to recognize these patients.

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