As the Covid-19 virus wreaks havoc around the globe, millions are infected and the count increases daily, especially in the U.K. People with heart issues needs to be very careful of the risks Covid-19 pose to them and the precautions that they need to take to stay healthy.
- Patients with heart disease, especially those with multiple health issues like diabetes, kidney disease, Lung disorders (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), are more susceptible to catching infections. Infection with a virus in patients with heart disease can make them prone to complications.
- An Infection can induce an inflammatory response in the body which increases the risk of plaque ruptures in patients who have blocks/ plaques in their coronary arteries. Usually these are people have with previous heart attacks or undergone an angioplasty or bypass surgery. The plaque rupture can trigger another heart attack.
- Some people have poor heart function and they can experience heart failure with symptoms like; shortness of breath, swelling in the legs and may require hospitalization.
- Arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms can also occur in an infected person. Some arrhythmias can be life threatening and can cause sudden death.
- People with smoking history or lung diseases can develop pneumonia which can be complicated and result in kidney failure, liver failure and multiple organ failure.
What you should do?
