Many are familiar that Covid-19 leads to severe pneumonia. A new study that came out today from the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that heart damage also occurs in patients with Covid-19.
Cardiac injury in Covid-19 presents with more severe illness. Their blood work shows signs of more significant systemic inflammation, and chest x-rays and CT scans of the chest were abnormal. Many of them cannot breathe on their own and needed mechanical ventilation.
The most important finding is that 19% of Covid-19 patients with cardiac injury die.
Who are the patients that get Cardiac Injury?
- 60% of patients with cardiac injury have hypertension
- 30% have a history of coronary heart disease or CAD.
- The authors also suggest that chronic heart failure patients are also prone to cardiac injury
Why do Covid-19 patients with cardiac injury have a worse outcome?
Patients with a history of CAD or heart failure are disposed to cardiac injury. Once other complications like severe pneumonia and myocardial ischemia occur, they don’t have enough reserves to keep up with the higher demand. Instead of compensating, the heart function further deteriorates.
When the heart cannot pump enough blood, the lungs get more congested, and breathing becomes harder.
It could be for several reasons, the authors said. The first is during severe infection, the atherosclerotic plaques lining the coronary arteries get more inflamed. This leads to plaque instability and rupture.
As it ruptures, a blood clot can form on top of the exposed plaque. This clot can then block the coronary arteries’ opening and decrease the much-needed blood supply to the overworking heart.
Inflammation also removes the delicate balance between clot formation and disintegration. That balance gets tilted towards abnormal clot formations that block the coronaries.
Result
19.7% of Covid-19 patients with cardiac injury have an increased risk of dying.
Take Away Message
People with underlying hypertension and coronary artery disease, previous heart attacks, prior angioplasty, and coronary bypass have a high risk of cardiac injury.
All adults can have Covid-19 severe disease. But the elderly and people with underlying medical problems are at a higher risk.
People with any medical problems should be diligent in taking their medications and monitoring their blood pressures.
Simple precautions like social distancing, proper handwashing, and even a mask provide appropriate protection to the high risk and ourselves.
Don’t Get Sick!
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- The Complete Covid-19 Articles
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- 5 Reasons why Covid-19 Spreads Fast
- Asymptomatic is not Always what it Seems
- New Study Explains the Rapid Spread of Covid-19
- The Secondary Attack Rate of Covid-19
- 5 Reasons why Covid-19 Spreads Fast
- New Covid-19 data confirms the need for 2-week Quarantine
- Protecting At-Risk People from Covid-19
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