I couldn’t help but wonder why we need to talk about heart disease every year. After all, everyone knows what to do-- eat right, exercise, take medication etc., etc. Yet, every year it is the number one cause of death in the United States with close to 700,000 and every year that number goes up.
I ask myself: “What is it going to take, to help people understand how critical this health matter is?” In case you haven’t heard, there is this thing called COVID-19. (Yes, I am tired of it being in the news, the topic of everyone’s conversation especially when there is so much else going on.)
COVID-19 and heart disease: a deadly combination
According to Dr. Stephanie Harrison of the University of Liverpool, UK, worse outcomes for COVID-19 include factors such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, obesity, among several others. High blood pressure and heart disease more than doubled the odds of dying from COVID- 19. Harrison pointed out that heart disease was linked with nearly fourfold the odds of severe COVID-19. Harrison continued, “One possible explanation may be that cardiovascular disease, or its risk factors, may cause changes to pathways which impact the body’s ability to effectively respond to the virus.”
If that isn’t enough, a review published on October 6, 2020, in The American Journal of the Medical Sciences, found that the COVID-19 mortality rate for people with underlying cardiovascular disease was between 10.5 and nearly 14-percent. That number jumped to between 35-percent to almost 87-percent for people who had underlying coronary artery disease.
Heart attack: its causes and effects
A heart attack occurs when one or more of your coronary arteries becomes blocked. This happens over time with buildup of fatty deposits such as cholesterol. That buildup creates a weakened heart and vascular system. Eventually, the benign plaque buildup breaks off and forms blood clots creating a blockage. According to Dr. Barry Trachtenberg, cardiologist, and heart failure expert at Houston Methodist, a person with a weakened heart or vascular system is more vulnerable to the complications that can develop while ill with COVID-19. These complications include:
· Low blood pressure
· Low blood oxygen levels
· Heart rate changes that accompany fever
· Excessive inflammation
· Increased risk of blood clots
· Age: Men over 45 and Women over 55
Risk Factors:
· Age: Men over 45 and Women over 55 are more likely to have a heart attack.
· High Blood Pressure
· Obesity
· Diabetes
· Metabolic Syndrome: This occurs when you have obesity, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. This makes you twice as likely to develop heart disease.
· Lack of physical exercise and stress.
Prevention:
Even if you have already had one, it is never too late to start. You know what to do. Lose weight, take prescribed medications, exercise regularly, manage stress and bring your friends to CustomFitt. We’ve got some great changes coming up. But that is for another blog...
All my Best,
Laura
