At the beginning of the Corona epidemic, which affected our lives, information was published that the infection was much more severe, especially in those with high blood pressure, heart and diabetes, and it caused great panic in people with these diseases. Later, people with chronic diseases, as well as the elderly, were banned from going out. So, how true is this idea? Let's discuss it now.
Two factors played a role in the idea that chronic diseases pose a risk in the corona epidemic. The first is that high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes are relatively common in those with Corona infection. Secondly, conditions such as arrhythmia, heart muscle deterioration and sudden cardiac arrest were frequently observed in Covid-19 patients who progressed severely and died. Of course, the information obtained at the beginning of the epidemic is based on doctors' observations rather than any scientific research. It was not possible to check this information because the epidemic was spreading rapidly. As time goes by, the scientific quality of the studies increases and more accurate information is obtained.
Many studies have shown that flu-related heart diseases increase during seasonal flu epidemics. Additionally, the flu is severe in people with heart disease. Ultimately, Covid-19 is also an upper respiratory tract infection virus. Therefore, it is an expected outcome that this infection will be more severe in people with heart disease. However, the Corona virus, that is, the Covid-19 virus, unlike other flu viruses, enters the cells through an enzyme we call ACE2. It has been reported in many studies that this enzyme is abundant in heart, intestine, kidney and lung cells. It is claimed that the Covid-19 virus enters cells through this enzyme and causes a more severe disease than seasonal flu viruses.
In a scientific study compiling cases from America, Europe and Asia, the relationship between Corona infection and heart diseases was investigated. In this study, including 8900 patients, clinical conditions in which corona infection is severe are listed as follows: advanced age (over 65), coronary heart disease, heart failure, rhythm disorders, chronic lung diseases. bee and still smoking. One of the findings obtained in this research is that hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol are not detected as risk factors alone in deaths due to Covid-19. However, this information could not be fully verified because the data sent from hospitals was insufficient and was not published in the main study.
Going back to our topic, the Corona epidemic started suddenly and spread rapidly in all countries. The medical world was also caught unprepared for this epidemic and there was great surprise in the first days. Quickly overcoming this surprise, healthcare professionals, especially physicians, began to work devotedly in the follow-up and treatment of patients. In addition, a lot of research is being carried out on recognizing Corona disease, its relationship with chronic diseases, and treatment, and new studies are constantly being published. These studies sometimes yield contradictory results. In my opinion, hypertension alone does not pose a risk of worsening Covid-19 infections. However, hypertension is the most important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The risk of Corona infection increases when it causes these diseases. The information in the study I mentioned above partially confirms my opinion. Of course, this view needs to be supported by other studies. I think we will reach more reliable information over time.
As a result, hypertension patients do not need to be afraid and anxious. If cardiovascular disease does not occur, there is no proven information that Corona infection will be severe. In addition, not every heart patient will have a severe course of Corona, but the risk is high. The immune system plays an important role in this epidemic and there are many factors that affect this system. For this reason, it is very important for both hypertension and heart patients to use the medications recommended by the doctor and to strictly comply with the recommended measures regarding the epidemic.
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