In late 2019, cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) began to emerge out of Wuhan, China. Since then, the disease has proven to be highly contagious and has rapidly spread around the world, becoming a global pandemic. COVID-19 is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Conoravirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 attacks host cells by the binding of its spike protein to the angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor on cell membranes (1). ACE2 receptors are primarily found on lung alveolar type II cells and capillary endothelial cells in the lungs, which helps to explain the prevalence of respiratory distress associated with COVID-19 (2). In addition to the lungs, ACE2 receptors have also been identified in the heart, liver, kidney, and digestive organs which may help to explain why severe COVID-19 patients display myocardial injury, arrhythmia, acute kidney injury, shock, and death from multiple organ dysfunction/failure (1).
