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four conditions linked to covid hospitalizations
u.s. study shows deadly impact of diabetes, heart failure, hypertension and obesity.
feb 26 2021
3 minute read
there are four conditions that make severe covid-19 more likely. getty
a new study published in the journal of the american heart association suggests most adult covid-19 hospitalizations in the united states can be attributed to one of four pre-existing conditions.
obesity, hypertension, diabetes and heart failure made up an estimated 89 per cent of the 906,849 total covid-19 hospitalizations in the u.s. as of november 18, 2020. here’s what this statistic could mean for canada.
obesity
the study found that about 30 per cent of the total hospitalizations were attributable to obesity and many studies have found obesity to be a prominent comorbidity for people with the most severe cases of covid-19.
there are several factors as to why people living with obesity are at a higher risk, including impaired immunity, chronic inflammation, and blood that is prone to clot can all worsen covid-19. and people living with obesity are more likely to have other conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes that are added risk factors for severe covid-19. as well, the stigma attached to obesity may make people less likely to seek medical attention.
according to a 2015 canadian health measures survey , 30 per cent or more than one in three adults in canada has obesity and may require medical support to manage their disease.
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hypertension
around 26 per cent of the total hospitalizations examined in this study were attributable to hypertension. also called high blood pressure, hypertension is a leading risk factor for death globally and affects almost one in four canadian adults, according to statcan.
many studies have found a link between people with hypertension and severe covid-19 outcomes, but the reasons why are a bit ambiguous. according to harvard medical school , “some experts believe that uncontrolled blood pressure results in chronic inflammation throughout the body, which damages blood vessels and results in dysregulation of the immune system. this results in difficulty fighting the virus, or a dangerous overreaction of the immune system to covid-19.”
diabetes
the risks for people living with diabetes having severe cases of covid-19 are well documented . but like hypertension, the reasons why people with diabetes are higher at risk are still being studied. diabetes can weaken the immune system, making it harder to fight off infection, but because people who have diabetes do not process glucose well while they are ill, infections of any kind tend to do more harm than they normally would. people living with diabetes also tend to have poorer circulation and have more inflammation, two major risk factors for severe cases of covid-19.
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roughly 2.7 million canadians 12 and older reported having diabetes in 2017 and 21 per cent of the hospitalizations in this study were attributable to diabetes.
heart failure
also known as congestive heart failure, heart failure (hf) is a condition that develops when the heart becomes weakened or damaged. heart attack and hypertension are the two major causes and underlying risk factors, and it is estimated that more than 600,000 canadians are living with hf.
obesity and diabetes are two other main reasons someone might develop hf, making it fairly obvious why someone with hf would experience a severe case of covid-19. the heart is not pumping properly can cause fluid to back up into the lungs, making it harder to breathe. this damage to the heart and lungs makes it extremely difficult to fight off a respiratory disease such as covid-19.
the goal of the u.s. study was to estimate the number and proportion of national covid-19 hospitalizations that could have been prevented if americans did not suffer from these four major cardiometabolic conditions. their conclusion was shocking: when numbers for the four conditions were combined, the model suggested 64 per cent of covid-19 hospitalizations might have been prevented.
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