World Heart Day 2020: Why taking care of your heart is more important than ever during COVID-19?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including heart disease and stroke, are the number one cause of death worldwide, claiming 17.9 million lives each year. The World Heart Foundation organizes World Heart Day on September 29 every year to spread awareness about CVDs, risk factors and preventative measures.

As part of this international campaign, the World Heart Federation normally organizes various awareness events like health checks, sports, public talks and science forums, exhibitions in more than 100 countries. This year the Federation encourages people to “Use Heart to Beat CVD.”

Several reports and studies have indicated that people with cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors, including diabetes and hypertension, are more vulnerable to severe forms of coronavirus. Therefore, keeping your heart is more important than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic. Keep reading to know the link between cardiovascular diseases and COVID-19.

Cardiovascular diseases and COVID-19: What’s the connection?

COVID-19 is a respiratory disease that majorly infects the lungs, but it can also affect the heart. Several preliminary studies have suggested that COVID-19 can increase the chances of cardiac arrest in patients with underlying heart issues.

Dr. Ashok Seth, Chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi, told TheHealthsite.com that the novel coronavirus can cause inflammation of the arteries, leading to blockage and consequently heart attack. It can also worsen the condition in people with pre-existing heart disease, he added.

Doctors at Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh, Delhi recently treated a coronavirus patient who suffered cardiac arrest. The arteries of the 31-year-old patient were 100 per cent blocked when he was admitted to the hospital, said Dr. Manish Gunjan, Additional Director, Interventional Cardiology Centre, while speaking to a news agency. Surprisingly, neither the patient nor his family members had any prior history of any heart disease. Luckily, the patient was treated successfully at the Hospital. Based on this case and other similar reports, Dr. Gunjan concluded that COVID-19 patients are at risk of cardiac injuries even without a prior history of heart disease.

There have been many other reports of COVID positive cases involving heart attacks, strokes, and acute kidney dysfunction. This is because unlike other flu viruses that only affect the respiratory system, COVID-19 is can affect multiple organs. According to experts, COVID-19 infection increases inflammation, cytokine storm and thrombogenicity, which affects vital organs.

What can you do to prevent heart disease?

Causes of cardiovascular disease include smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, air pollution, rare medical conditions such as Chagas Disease and cardiac amyloidosis, etc. Experts say at least 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity.

Eating more vitamin D-rich foods is one way to keep your heart healthy. Vitamin D may help protect against heart-related problems, especially in men, according to a study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. So, include more foods rich in the sunshine vitamin such as salmon, egg yolks, mushrooms and fortified foods cow’s milk, soy milk, cereal and oatmeal. Besides increasing your vitamin D intake, make sure you take the below preventive measures as well:

Quit Smoking: Studies have also shown that smoking raises blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke.

Be Physically Active: If you are an adult, workout for at least 30 minutes five or more days a week to keep your heart healthy.

Manage Your Blood Cholesterol: High amount of blood cholesterol can increase your risk of heart disease. Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats to keep blood cholesterol level.

Maintain A Healthy Weight: Obesity can increase your risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly heart failure (HF) and coronary heart disease (CHD). Obesity is also linked to COVID-19 complications. So, keep your weight under the healthy range.

World Heart Day 2020: Why taking care of your heart is more important than ever during COVID-19?

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World Heart Day 2020: Why taking care of your heart is more important than ever during COVID-19?

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