Can Covid-19 Cause A Stroke?

Has Covid-19 stress left you drained out? Is home isolation getting to you and making you lonely and anxious? Have you been hearing all sorts of news about Covid-19 and the risk to your heart but cannot wrap your head around it? We can understand your situation. Here is everything you have wanted to know about COVID 19 and how it affects your heart’s health. 

Does poor heart health lead to a higher risk of COVID 19?

There is little doubt that heart and hypertension (high blood pressure) means that you belong to the high-risk category for COVID -19 related illnesses. Both heart and COVID 19 symptoms spell innate trouble. The symptoms that we need to look out for are:

– Acute pain in the chest or raised pressure while attempting to do a physical activity

– Weakness and numbness

– Swelling in leg

– Fainting or passing out

Do all Covid-19 patients develop a cardiac problem?

The first statistics came from Wuhan in China, where roughly 28 percent of Covid-19 patients had suffered heart damage. Ten percent of them were heart patients even before COVID 19 affected them. Subsequent research from the US and Europe have continued to increase the spotlight on the connection between the two. 

This is how doctors investigate if the patient has heart trouble:

When a patient turns up at the hospital with heart concerns, the first procedure is to check the cardiac enzymes. The test measures the number of enzymes and proteins in the blood, which increases when the heart is damaged. Any damage to the heart muscles causes Troponin and Creatine Kinase to leak out of the heart and into the blood. The mere presence of these two substances in the blood indicates that the patient is having a heart attack or some other cardiac issue. 

How does COVID-19 lead to failure of the heart? 

Coronavirus is known to cause dangerous inflammation in the heart called myocarditis. The presence of such inflammation can make the heart incapable of doing its job effectively. Another way that the doctors figure out if a COVID 19 patient is experiencing bad heart condition is to determine the amount of BNP (Brain Natriuretic Peptide) in the blood. This protein is released in the bloodstream when the heart muscles get stretched. If this BNP level is very high in the COVID 19 patients, it is a given that they are either experiencing heart failure or some potentially high-risk heart condition. 

Here is what exactly takes place:

The novel Coronavirus is primarily a respiratory disease. What it means is that it affects the lungs mainly. But what happens if the lungs do not work properly? The heart has to step in and work harder to pump the oxygenated blood to all the body parts. This additional stress on the heart in the absence of the lungs’ full potential makes COVID 19 excessively dangerous for people who are already suffering from cardiac complications. 

Here is a list of all the underlying conditions that COVID – 19 can effect and those prone to succumb to this deadly infection. 

– If the patient is suffering from heart disease involving constricting of arteries or defective valve or any other issue connected to the heart.

– Diabetes and diabetes-related complications.

– Rocketing high blood pressure

– Medical history of stroke or attacks 

Is there a connection of age with a higher risk of the heart being affected?

– Patients who are more than 65 years are more likely to suffer if they develop any symptoms. 

– Even younger patients with compromised heart health can be highly vulnerable to heart complications once they contract COVID -19. 

Prevention is indeed better than cure:

We are not deducing that if a person’s heart is compromised, they will end up in Critical Care if they contract Covid-19; no! However, it is prudent that we take complete care so that we do not just cure it but also effectively prevent it in the first place. 

Here are the recommendations by WHO to make sure you are steps away from COVID 19:

1. Wash your hands and wash your hands thoroughly. You must use soap and warm water and wash them for a minimum of 20 seconds. 
2. In case you do not have access to soap, water, or the sink, use a sanitizer with at least sixty percent of alcohol in it. 
3. Make sure not to touch your face till you wash your hands.
4. Disinfect all the surfaces thoroughly that you keep touching in the day. For instance, your electrical switches, doorknobs, keypad, keys, etc.
5. Stay home if that is an option.
6. Social distancing is a must. There must be a minimum of 6 feet between you and others
7. If you are on medication, then stock up on them if you need them, and there is an unannounced lockdown

If you are afraid of checking into a hospital then go for telemedicine:

If physically checking into an emergency room scares you then go for the telemedicine available at most hospitals. Cardiologists offer video as well as phone calls to patients that cannot check into emergency care. Any communication with your doctor about new symptoms should be your priority. Tele-visits by experts help immensely.

The secret is in protecting the heart:

The fact is that heart patients do not have to worry so much about the virus as much as their cardiac condition. Patients with heart diseases must approach the emergency room if there is a need. 

The fear that they may end up contracting COVID 19 may discourage many patients from seeking emergency care during the pandemic. But this is the biggest mistake that can happen. Any sign of cardiac emergency must never be ignored. If the patient sees a new set of symptoms relating to their heart health, they must immediately talk to their health professional. 

Here is a list of symptoms that heart patients must not ignore:

– Pain in the chest; even slight discomfort

– Trouble in breathing

– Diarrhea

– No taste and smell

– Soreness in the throat

– Shivering

– Severe pain in the muscle

– Splitting headaches

– Acute weakness/fatigue

– Brain fog

Exercising is a must!

Even though it is hard to concentrate, it is essential to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. One should strive to be able to add at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week. Looking after the heart is essential in the long run. Get in touch with us or book an appointment if you want to learn more about your heart health and how cardio exercises will benefit you.