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doc to people with heart conditions: get seen early
early assessment for covid-19 is critical for people with cardiovascular issues.
mar 13 2020
3 minute read
people who develop covid-19 and have a heart condition, vascular disease or who have had a stroke are at risk of serious complications. stock/getty
as the numbers of covid-19 continue to grow, health officials continue to focus on prevention — proper hand washing, avoiding sick people, and staying away from crowds has become a mantra for anyone talking about how we are going to curb the spread of coronavirus.
while following this advice is our best shot at keeping ourselves healthy and containing the virus, it’s not just about us. when we take care of ourselves, we also protect those for whom having covid-19 could be life-threatening. one of these vulnerable groups are those with health issues that affect the cardiovascular system.
“we know that the virus attacks the lungs, which puts people with heart conditions, vascular disease or those who have had a stroke, more at risk if they developed covid-19,” says dr. gavin oudit, a professor in the department of medicine at the university of alberta. “it can also affect the kidney and gut.”
oudit says that the virus has an affinity for a protein called ace2, which normally protects the lungs. however, as was seen with sars, covid-19 uses ace2 to get into the body quicker, causing lung failure and multiple organ complications, which is mostly the reason why people die of the virus. it’s also a finding that explains why those with cardiovascular issues are struggling more when they get sick.
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knowing this makes it critical for people with these preexisting conditions to be especially careful to protect themselves.
“avoid unnecessary travel, public spaces, and of course, good personal hygiene is the most effective way of breaking the chain of spread,” says oudit.
he also cautions people to maintain perspective.
dr. gavin oudit is a professor in the department of medicine at the university of alberta. photo courtesy of dr. oudit.
“remember that three per cent of people have died, but 97% have recovered,” he says.
another reason for optimism, he says, is the growing number of trials that are ongoing throughout the world to find a treatment to halt covid-19 in its tracks, particularly the ones focused on helping to protect — and treat — those with cardiovascular diseases who have developed the virus.
one such trial involves ubc faculty of medicine researcher dr. josef penninger. part of international team, penninger is working with biotech company aperion biologics to research whether its drug apn01 can successfully treat people with severe coronavirus infection. the drug has already been shown to block viral spread in sars, results that oudit calls “encouraging.”
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but finding out for sure how effective apn01 is in blocking the covid-19 virus is going to take time. while we wait, oudit urges people with cardiovascular issues not to delay getting medical attention if they think they have the virus.
“if you think you are sick, get seen by a doctor sooner, rather than later,” he says. “we know that early care and early assessment is vitally important in improving the outcomes for people who are at a high risk of developing complications.”
he adds that despite the risk posed by covid-19 for people in this high-risk category, there are treatment options, including icu care, supplemental oxygen, intubation if needed, and possibly steroids.
and in case you think that having these underlying conditions and developing covid-19 means that you are going to die, “it’s simply not true,” he says.
“covid-19 is sinister, and yes, these other conditions put you at risk,” he says. “but they most definitely don’t guarantee a poor outcome.”
@lmachado@postmedia.com
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