Everyday People Matter

Heart Disease, Hypertension and Covid-19 Risks

On Behalf of | Mar 24, 2020 | corona virus, Covid- 19, Heart Disease

Persons who suffer from cardiac disease or hypertension may be at a higher risk of more severe bouts of Covid-19.  Analyses of deaths from Covid-19 from Italy and China, the two countries that have been the hardest hit by the Corona virus, indicate that the majority of the dead suffered from hypertension or heart disease.

In China, the death rate from Corona virus infections was 10.5 percent for those with cardiovascular disease, against the average fatality rate of 2.3 percent. In Italy, 76 percent of fatalities from Covid-19 had hypertension, while 33 percent had heart disease.

It’s been confirmed that immunosuppression is a risk factor for Covid-19, There are several posts on this blog that indicate the higher risks facing the immunocompromised.  However, because of the way the virus enters the cells, it seems to present an especially greater threat to persons who also suffer from heart disease or hypertension. In fact, some studies on Covid-19 cases show that the virus is actually causing myocardial injury in patients. This indicates that Covid-19 actually damages heart cells in patients.

As things stand, there is not enough evidence to indicate what medications these patients who died from Covid-19 were taking. Until more evidence about the effect of the medications on the risks from the disease emerge, the American College of Cardiology as well as the American Heart Association are asking patients with cardiac disease to continue with their usual medications.

If you are a cardiac patient or have a history of hypertension or cardiovascular disease, take extra care to practice social distancing. Persons around you need to be very careful about washing their hands regularly and practicing other precautionary measures.