covid-19: the top seven diseases that put you at risk

the public health agency of canada (phac) has identified older people, individuals with a weaker immune system and people with certain pre-existing health conditions as being more at risk of developing complications from covid-19. but actually, there are a specific few that are more dangerous than others.

according to phac , canadians aged under 50 account for approximately one-half of all reported covid-19 cases in canada. among canadians aged 18 to 49, five per cent reported having high blood pressure and two per cent reported having diabetes.

a small study in france found a high frequency of obesity among patients admitted in intensive care, with disease severity increasing with bmi. “obesity is a risk factor for sars‐cov‐2 severity requiring increased attention to preventive measures in susceptible individuals,” wrote the authors. a joint u.s. centers for disease control/prevention report , found that 48.3 per cent of those hospitalized for covid-19 were obese, based on their body mass index (bmi).

and researchers at nyu school of medicine/nyu langone health, have also released a soon-to-be published study based on 3615 patients admitted to a major ny hospital. they found patients under 60 who had a bmi of between 30 and 34 were two times more likely than patients with bmis of under 30 to be admitted to acute care and 1.8 times more likely to enter critical care.

there are seven diseases that put you at risk for covid-19

hypertension.  high blood pressure accounts for 30 per cent of all comorbidities when it comes to covid-19. researchers recommend people with high blood pressure control it using their prescribed medications. a recent study did not find that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ace) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor ii (arp) blockers are harmful during the covid-19 pandemic and recommends that patients not discontinue them at this time.

diabetes. those at greatest risk are people with consistently elevated blood sugar levels and those with a second chronic disease. that’s because high sugar levels reduce immunity. doctors recommend diabetics monitor their blood sugar and avoid extreme highs and lows.

high cholesterol. â high levels of bad cholesterol or ldl can negatively impact your immune system, as high cholesterol reduces blood flow to the heart. for healthy adults, ldl cholesterol should stay below 100 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), according to the national institutes of health. but if your ldl is too low, it can also predispose you to covid-19, a new study suggests, cautioning people who are on ldl-lowering drugs to stop them if they are infected with the virus. keeping your ldl at normal levels is your best option.

coronary artery disease. â the data suggest that people who have a heart condition or vascular disease, or those who have had a stroke, are at higher risk of complications if they are infected with covid-19, according to dr. cindy yip, director of data, knowledge management and heart program for heart & stroke canada. she says heart patients should continue to take ace inhibitors and arbs.

dementia. â the high rates of dementia likely reflect the older age of patients – as older age increases the risk of covid-19. older people suffering from dementia need the help of caregivers to ensure they are following infection-prevention strategies such as eating well, getting some exercise and washing their hands, according to sunnybrook health sciences centre .

atrial fibrillation. â atrial fibrillation is when the heart beats in an irregular manner, raising the risk of blood clots or strokes. those people with heart failure, which is common among those with atrial fibrillation, are especially affected as the heart has to work harder to pump effectively, according to the american heart association. and coronavirus is particularly hard on the heart’s functioning, which could be why people with atrial fibrillation are more at risk once infected. medical experts advise patients to keep their condition under control using anti-coagulants or beta blockers.

obesity. persons with obesity may have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies, as well as lowered lung function. those who become infected with the virus and require intensive care “present challenges in patient management,” according to the world obesity federation . it says that it is difficult to intubate patients with obesity, can be more challenging to obtain diagnostic imaging and patients are more difficult to position and transport by nursing staff. researchers suggest adopting a healthy eating plan with regular exercise. they also advise people who are obese to practice social distancing, ensure vaccinations are up to date and follow proper hand-washing and disinfection protocols.

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covid-19: the top seven diseases that put you at risk

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