Here’s what heart disease patients need to know about COVID-19 in 2021:

Researchers have directly linked the diseases caused by the coronavirus to multiple heart-related problems. And it indirectly contributed to the deaths of those who had heart problems but delayed treatment.

Despite the widespread deployment of vaccines across the country, doctors and scientists continue to learn more about COVID-19 and cardiovascular health, but what heart disease people need to know now. It is as follows.

Conditions such as heart failure (the heart does not pump blood effectively), coronary artery disease (arterial obstruction), cardiomyopathy (myocardial weakness, thinning, and / or thickening) are more severe cases of COVID-19. Will lead to. “The strongest and most consistent evidence” tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

According to the CDC, people with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and lung-related types of hypertension known as pulmonary hypertension are also considered at high risk. Systemic hypertension and cerebrovascular accidents (which affect blood vessels in the brain like a stroke) can also put people at risk, according to the CDC. With these data, the American Heart Association issued a statement in January encouraging people with a history of cardiovascular risk factors, heart disease, or heart attack or stroke to be vaccinated “as soon as possible.”

A major concern for people with underlying cardiac conditions is that COVID-19 can cause respiratory stress and exacerbate those conditions, said a clinical cardiologist and associate professor at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Nisha Parik said. For example, it can strain the heart of a person who has undergone stenting or bypass surgery. Or, if a lung infection hits a person with heart failure, “it can be very difficult to treat.”

COVID-19 patients also face long-term problems.

Although the study has not been settled, Parik sees long-distance patients who are so-called “symptomatic constellations, some of which have heart properties” that persist after the virus is no longer infected. These symptoms range from crazy feelings to palpitation and chest pain. “We have been investigating what might be causing it.”

She said several studies found an injured heart in a COVID-19 patient. Excessive blood clotting is a serious concern, as is the effect of the virus on the lining of blood vessels.

As a result, people with underlying illnesses need to be especially careful, Parik said. This now means following old-fashioned advice.

“Wear a mask. Stay socially distant. Vaccine if provided,” said Parik, who has the shot. “Because it’s the fastest way we can all get over this safely.”

Patients with heart disease should continue to take regular medications. ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers used to treat symptoms such as hypertension and heart failure were scrutinized at the onset of the pandemic, but the study provided good news. “They do not affect the severity of COVID-19 disease in patients with mild to moderate COVID-19, and a few studies suggest that they may even be protective,” Parik said. Said.

She said that anyone with heart disease, stroke, or other symptoms that may require emergency medical care should feel free to seek help. “For all safety precautions, I think it’s fairly unlikely that you’ll get COVID-19 when you reach the hospital setting.” But, as many have done, delaying care is fatal. maybe. Studies show that the first coronavirus surge resulted in an increase in fatal heart attacks, probably due to delays in treatment.

Parik is worried that it may be happening again. “This is an anecdote, but I’m a little worried that people are avoiding hospitals again due to the recent surge in COVID-19.”

She said people also need to take care of their mental health. The pandemic “is putting a lot of psychological stress on us all, including those with heart disease, and I think it’s very important to recognize and recognize.”

Along with social isolation, she said, “There is a lot of anxiety and sometimes depression, and all of these are risk factors for it to happen if the heart condition deteriorates or is prone to heart condition.”

Experts say it helps to maintain a digital connection and safely find a way to meet in person.

Finally, Mr. Parik said we should all look forward to better days in the future. “I’m really looking forward to vaccines, and that they will soon change the trajectory of the pandemic,” she said. “You can see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Editor’s Note: Due to the rapid evolution of the events surrounding the coronavirus, the facts and advice presented in this article may have changed since its publication. Visit Heart.org for the latest coverage and check with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities for the latest guidance.

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