**1. Introduction**

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to be the number one cause of death worldwide [1] and accounts for approximately 50% percent of all deaths in high-income countries (HICs) and approximately 28% of deaths in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with figures increasing exponentially [2]. Problematically, the emergence of COVID-19, officially known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), presents an unparalleled challenge for people with CVD. This is because individuals with pre-existing CVD are more likely to develop COVID-19 are more likely to present with more severe symptoms and have worse clinical outcomes [3, 4]. Recent findings are also demonstrating that COVID-19 is responsible for both the development of new and exacerbation of pre-existing CVD due to a variety of factors, such as resultant myocardial injury and the development of new-onset cardiac dysfunction from the infection [3] and longterm consequences arising from infection, such as possible continued abnormalities of lipid metabolism [5].
