{"id":26476,"date":"2021-08-07T22:45:36","date_gmt":"2021-08-07T22:45:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medical.andonline.com\/?p=26476"},"modified":"2023-06-09T08:14:36","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T08:14:36","slug":"hypertension-and-the-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medical.andonline.com\/hypertension-and-the-coronavirus\/?lang=ce","title":{"rendered":"Hypertension and the Coronavirus"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hypertension and the Coronavirus<\/span><\/h3>\n<\/div><\/section>\n

With the outbreak of the coronavirus, COVID-19, these are unsettling times. It\u2019s tempting to see current circumstances as an overreaction, but growing medical evidence suggests that would be a detrimental mistake.<\/p>\n

That does not mean panic is the only option, but it does mean that, like it or not,\u00a0it\u2019s time to educate yourself.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a lot we don\u2019t know at this point, but one thing we do know is that heart health plays a part in the risk of contracting the virus and fighting it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n

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Risk factors<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Any sort of health condition, from asthma to diabetes, puts you more at risk for contracting COVID-19 and developing serious symptoms. Hypertension is no exception. That\u2019s a concerning and sobering fact considering that, according to the American Heart Association,\u00a0nearly half of US adults have high blood pressure<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Those with heart-related conditions may be amongst the most vulnerable. The American Heart Association has reported that\u00a040 percent<\/a>\u00a0of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have cardiovascular disease or cerebrovascular disease. And\u00a0studies of COVID-19 cases<\/a>\u00a0in China suggest a higher mortality rate for adults with high blood pressure.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n

Symptoms<\/strong><\/h3>\n

High blood pressure is not a documented symptom of COVID-19, but it can exacerbate the symptoms of the virus.\u00a0\u00a0According to the World Health Organization<\/a>, symptoms include a fever, dry cough, and tiredness.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that in some cases, symptoms may not appear for up to\u00a014 days after exposure<\/a>. Which is why such extreme steps have been taken to avoid transmitting the virus.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n

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Flattening the curve<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Now some good news, there are simple steps you can take to avoid contracting or spreading the virus. If you\u2019re tired of hearing about #FlattenTheCurve, too bad. Until we manage to do just that, it\u2019s going to be all over the place. So, here\u2019s what you can do to help limit the spread of COVID-19 and to lessen the stress on our hospitals:<\/p>\n