Heart patients should know about COVID-19

 Heart Patients must take extra precautions to avoid contracting COVID-19.

So far, it is clear that COVID-19 poses a serious risk to many people who already have it. Even people with a heart condition have an even greater risk.

According to initial reports, 40% of patients with COVID-19 had heart disease or cerebral palsy, a condition that affects blood flow to the brain.

In February, the American College of Cardiology encouraged patients to take "extra, reasonable precautions" to protect themselves.

CoVID-19 can affect heart patients in a variety of ways. Here's what you need to know about how it can affect you and what steps you can take to avoid getting sick:

The risk to heart patients

The virus directly affects the lungs, which means that if you get sick, your heart may be more stressed than usual. For people with heart disease, your heart already has to work hard to get oxygenated blood to circulate through the body. With reduced lung function, it can put even more pressure on the body and increase the chances of heart failure when the blood struggles to pump more efficiently than before.

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Getting sick can put extra strain on the immune system, which can lead to complications and hospitalization.

In addition, those who have a plaque in their arteries may be at particular risk. Studies of similar viral diseases have shown that getting sick can destabilize plaque, which increases the risk of arterial blockage and heart attack.

Although research on COVID 19 is still ongoing, we can see that other coronavirus viruses, such as SARS and measles, have been linked to heart complications in patients with pre-existing heart disease before a heart attack. Acute inflammation in pressure, oxygen levels, and many organ systems.

How to save yourself 

As a heart patient, it is best to be careful not to get yourself sick.

The best way to protect yourself from getting COVID-19 is to take the same precautions you take during the flu season. The virus is spread by droplets in the air when someone coughs or sneezes, like the flu. Follow CDC guidelines, including physical distance, frequent hand washing, keeping your surroundings clean, covering up coughs and sneezes, and avoiding traveling in crowded areas.

Stay at home if you get sick, even if you don't think it's CoVID-19.

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If you have a heart condition, you should make sure you are up to date with vaccines, including pneumonia. Cardiologists strongly recommend that all patients with chronic heart disease take annual flu shots to protect themselves from another source of fever that is confusing for COVID-19.

If you notice symptoms on code 19 and suspect that you may have them, contact your doctor immediately.

Philip A. Corinne, MD, FACC, FSCAI, Cooper Heart Institute, Cardiac Partners at Cooper, and Medical Director of Inspira.