The new coronavirus is a family of viruses known since the 1960s, which underwent a genetic mutation and ended up transforming into something that had not yet been identified in humans. Transmitted through the air and through close contact with infected people, COVID-19 can have cold-like symptoms, progressing to severe cases of acute respiratory failure. People over 60 years old or who have respiratory, cardiovascular or diabetes diseases are more likely to contract the disease. According to the WHO, for this population, the institution advises greater care in avoiding agglomerations or places with sick people.
According to the American College of Cardiology, which released a bulletin to guide health professionals on the subject, among patients hospitalized for the new coronavirus, 50% had chronic diseases and 40% had cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease. Among the fatal cases, 86% had respiratory involvement, of these 33% had associated cardiac involvement and 7% had isolated cardiac involvement.
Coronavirus and cardiovascular disease
Viral infection leads to a series of reactions responsible for unbalancing cardiovascular diseases that were previously compensated. According to Dr. Felix Ramires, cardiologist and coordinator of the Heart Failure program at HCor, patients with previous cardiovascular diseases sometimes have changes in their immune system in addition to a latent chronic inflammatory state, which can worsen the evolution of the disease. In past pandemics caused by respiratory viruses, mortality from cardiovascular diseases surpassed all other causes, ahead of pneumonia in other situations.
“Patients with chronic diseases, hypertension, diabetes and who have already had a heart disease such as a heart attack or have undergone cardiovascular surgery or who have heart failure are a higher risk group. In this group, there is a predisposition to develop the severe form of the disease, not specifically to be contaminated by covid-19”, he guides.
Caring for patients with heart disease
Care is the same for everyone. However, as this is the group of patients who have the highest risk of developing the severe form of the disease, even having only hypertension or diabetes, prevention must be doubled, so that they do not acquire the disease. “Therefore, they should avoid agglomerations, whenever possible work from home, avoid close contact with people who have returned from travel from places where the outbreak is more prevalent. Home isolation of this group is more recommended so that they are not contaminated with the virus ", explains Dr. Ramires.
In addition, other viral pandemics such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) have caused rapidly progressing myocarditis and heart failure, signaling that the coronavirus may have the potential to infect the heart alone. “These viruses have been implicated in coronary artery disease decompensation with plaque rupture and acute myocardial infarction.
The Ministry of Health even anticipated the flu vaccination campaign in Brazil. It is essential that this population is vaccinated, as the flu can be confused with the symptoms of COVID-19 infection. And a worrying factor is the combined infection of coronavirus and influenza, which can worsen the patient's health,” he says.
When should I go to the emergency room?
When you have symptoms of flu, fever and fatigue, shortness of breath and fatigue, in the case of heart disease, if this diagnosis is early, treatment can help so that they do not develop the most severe phase of the coronavirus.
Tips from the HCor cardiologist in relation to the coronavirus
Due to its high contagion power, in addition to remaining outside the human body for a long time, personal prevention measures, such as hand washing, for example, are a priority and should be encouraged in patients with heart disease, especially in places where the focus of contamination is larger.
“Elderly people are less likely to have fever, so coughing, dyspnea, myalgia should be valued in this population. Treatments suggested in guidelines for patients with heart disease may offer additional protection in these cases and should be evaluated individually. Flu and pneumonia vaccines must be up to date in this population, with the aim of avoiding a secondary infection if affected by the new coronavirus ", says the cardiologist of the HCor.
It is recommended to screen patients infected with COVID-19 who have cardiovascular, kidney, lung and other chronic diseases for priority care. “The symptoms of an acute myocardial infarction or heart failure decompensation may be masked by the symptoms of the new coronavirus. That is why it is important that the
fonte : https://www.hcor.com.br/imprensa/noticias/o-impacto-do-coronavirus-nas-doencas-cardiovasculares/
