University of Toledo

After recovering from COVID-19, a number of patients go on to develop lasting fatigue, dizziness, brain fog and a rapid heart rate — symptoms broadly categorized as long COVID. Research from UToledo Distinguished University Professor Blair Grubb indicates many of those individuals may actually have postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, a chronic and often debilitating blood circulation disorder.

A board-certified cardiologist whose pioneering work helped establish the standard diagnostic criteria and treatment strategies for POTS, Grubb remains one of the field’s preeminent academic researchers and a highly sought-after specialist, drawing patients from across the country to UToledo’s academic medical center for evaluation and care of the underrecognized and often misdiagnosed condition.

In documenting a five-fold increase in POTS diagnoses after the emergence of COVID-19, Grubb and his team have not only shown an unprecedented acceleration in what was once thought to be a relatively rare condition, but they’re also giving some patients suffering from long COVID a more definitive diagnosis and new treatment options.