The novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), resulting from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronarvirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, typically leads to respiratory failure in severe cases; however, cardiovascular injury is reported to contribute to a substantial proportion of COVID-19 deaths. Preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD) is among the most common risk factors for hospitalization and death in COVID-19 patients, and the pathogenic mechanisms of COVID-19 disease progression itself may promote the development of cardiovascular injury, increasing risk of in-hospital death. Sex differences in COVID-19 are becoming more apparent as mounting data indicate that males seem to be disproportionately at risk of severe COVID-19 outcome due to preexisting CVD and COVID-19-related cardiovascular injury. In this review, we will provide a basic science perspective on current clinical observations in this rapidly evolving field and discuss the interplay sex differences, preexisting CVD and COVID-19-related cardiac injury.

严重的急性呼吸综合症冠状病毒2（SARS-CoV-2）感染导致的新型2019年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）通常在严重情况下导致呼吸衰竭; 然而，据报道心血管损伤在COVID-19死亡中占很大比例。预先存在的心血管疾病（CVD）是COVID-19患者最常见的住院和死亡风险因素，而COVID-19疾病进展的致病机制本身可能会促进心血管损伤的发展，增加院内死亡的风险。越来越多的数据表明，由于预先存在的CVD和与COVID-19相关的心血管损伤，男性出现严重COVID-19结局的风险似乎不成比例，因此COVID-19中的性别差异变得越来越明显。在这篇评论中