A person’s risk of severe Covid-19 disease increases as its number of underlying illnesses increases. (1) People recovering from a stroke or people with heart conditions, including high blood pressure and congenital heart disease, are at greater risk of severe Covid-19.
The elderly should take the greatest care as over 81% of people who die from Covid-19 are over 65. The number of deaths in over 65 age group is 97 times higher than in 18-29 age group. (2)
Covid-19 infection increases the risk of heart diseases up to 1 year after infection. People with Covid-19 are almost 16 times more likely to develop inflammation of the heart muscle, or myocarditis, than uninfected people (3) and are also at increased risk of cerebrovascular disorders, arrhythmias, coronary and non-ischemic heart disease, pericarditis, heart failure and thromboembolism. Therefore, even after a person has already recovered from Covid-19, it shall be necessary to continue to monitor the health of a heart and blood vessels.
At the beginning of Covid-19 pandemic, when ignorance and panic reigned in society, a huge amount of unsubstantiated information about Covid-19 appeared on the Internet, and there were also wide debates about whether prescription drugs for high blood pressure, heart failure and other cardiovascular diseases increase risks of Covid-19 disease. If You have any questions about medicines, you should ask Your doctor or pharmacist. Do not stop taking Your medications without Your doctor’s orders!
Experts point out that doctors should re-evaluate the use of drugs for patients with Covid-19, while noting that research on this issue continues. (4)
References
1. American Heart Association. [Online] 15 April 2020. [Quoted: 28 June 2022] https://www.heart.org/en/coronavirus/coronavirus-covid-19-resources/coronavirus-precautions-for-patients-and-others-facing-higher-risks.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [Online] 2 May 2022 [Quoted: 28 June 2022] https://www.cdc.gov/widgets/micrositeCollectionViewerMed/index.html?chost=covid19.mt.gov&cpath=/&csearch=&chash=&ctitle=Governor%E2%80%99s%20Coronavirus%20Task%20Force%20%3E%20Home&wn=micrositeCollectionViewerMed&wf=/widgets/micrositeCollectionViewerMed/&.
3. Tegan K. Boehmer, PhD, et al. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. [Online] 2 September 2021. [Quoted: 29 June 2022] https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7035e5.htm.
4. American Heart Association. [Online] 14 April 2021. [Quoted: 28 June 2022.] https://www.heart.org/en/coronavirus/coronavirus-questions/if-youre-a-patient.
