Covid-19 and heart failure | MGM Healthcare
Healthcaring Blogs

Covid-19 and heart failure Mon , Jun 20

About the Health Information

Our Health information will help you stay up to date on what is happening in health care. We bring you news/information/perspectives around health care innovations, preventive medicine, early diagnosis, nutrition and diet, women’s health, men’s health, children’s health, latest technologies, treatments and surgeries, diseases and conditions, fitness and more.

 

Popular Posts
Health Tips Wed , Apr 8
Six daily shoulder exercises for arthritic pain
Medical Emergency Mon , Dec 27
Shoulder Arthritis and its types
Health Tips Wed , Apr 8
Stress and how to beat it
Categories
  • Cancer
  • Cardiac Care
  • Children's Health
  • Covid-19
  • Diabetes
  • ENT
  • Health Emergencies
  • Health Tips
  • Hernia
  • Interventional Pulmonology
  • Medical Emergency
  • Men's Health
  • Neuro Care
  • Oral Cancer
  • Spine Care
  • Transplants
  • Women's Health
  • World Health Day
  • World Hearing Day
  • World Kidney Day
  • World Sleep day
  • World Vaccination Day

Dr Suresh Rao K G, Co-Director, Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support, MGM Healthcare

  • The COVID-19 pandemic is on everyone’s mind right now. It’s the infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus that enters the body through the mouth, nose or eyes. 80% of the infected population has mild symptoms such as fever, dry cough, sore throat and some exhibit atypical symptoms such as loss of taste/smell, mild headache, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. A majority of them recover from the disease. 20% of the patients may require hospitalisation, especially when there are complaints of breathlessness. If they have coexisting conditions like chronic renal disease, cardiac disease, respiratory disease, cerebrovascular diseases, uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension, they carry a higher risk of mortality. Mortality in COVID-19 positive cases ranges from 2% to 8% worldwide.

When we talk about COVID-19 infections and heart diseases, we face four scenarios:

  • Patients with known cardiac disease

  • Cardiac patients developing COVID-19 infection

  • Patients with COVID-19 infection developing cardiac complications

  • Patients waiting for or have already had cardiac transplant

FOR KNOWN CARDIAC PATIENTS

  • This is a tough time. The most important thing to remember is to continue taking your medication if you have a known cardiac condition. You must also take the following precautions:

  • Avoid physically visiting the hospital for your routine check-ups. Utilise their online consultation facility, if available, to speak to your doctor.

  • Stay at home to prevent coming in contact with carriers. Practise social distancing in case you have to interact with others.

  • Consciously avoid touching your face. If it’s absolutely necessary, wash your hands properly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitiser containing at least 70% alcohol.

  • Work on optimising your immune system. Getting adequate sleep, staying hydrated, eating a balanced diet and exercising every day is paramount.

  • Keep in touch with friends, colleagues, family and others remotely. Your mental health can affect your physical health, so don’t neglect that!

  • Remember this: Even if you don’t catch the infection, stressing about the situation can worsen your heart condition. So, it’s important to be alert and not anxious.

FOR CARDIAC PATIENTS WHO DEVELOP AN INFECTION

  • Maybe you’ve come to the hospital with chest pain. You may not have COVID-19 but the hospital may have to test you for it. This is for everyone’s safety. If you test positive, you and anyone you have come in recent contact with should be quarantined for two weeks.

  • There’s some evidence that shows a fever may actually be beneficial to your immune system in fighting the infection. So, for mild infections, fever can be treated with antipyretics. Antibiotics may be prescribed to you to treat secondary bacterial infections, if the symptoms are worse. Remember to consult your physician and not self-medicate!

  • If you develop breathlessness or other serious respiratory symptoms, you may be admitted to the ICU. Any kind of infections may worsen cardiac failure or cardiac disease as it can produce inflammatory reactions that include vascular and myocardial inflammation.

  • COVID-19 positive patients who develop cardiac complications are conservatively managed. For example, a patient with Triple Vessel Disease who is a candidate for coronary bypass surgery may instead be managed by angioplasty or medically managed with plaque stabilising drugs such as statins and antiplatelet agents.

WHAT ABOUT END-STAGE HEART FAILURE PATIENTS?

  • The Institute of Heart and Lung Transplant & Mechanical Circulatory Support at MGM Healthcare manages both end-stage heart failure patients waiting for heart transplantation and more than 350 patients who have undergone heart transplantation earlier. End-stage heart failure patients are medically managed at present as the pandemic is making the logistics of transplantation difficult.

  • Patients who have already had heart transplantation are at a much higher risk for infection as they are on immunosuppressive drugs. Our strategy is to prevent the infection among such patients by advising them to stay at home, use personal protective devices and maintain social distancing. We have a video consultation facility that patients can access.

  • It’s normal to get worried about the ongoing pandemic given all the free time you have now and the exposure to several myths and misinformation. But worrying is not good for your health. Let the healthcare workers do their job and you focus on following the necessary precautions. Remember – stay alert, not anxious.

Other Posts

Health Tips Wed , Jun 15
9 Amazing things that happen to your body when you donate blood

We are all aware that blood donation helps save lives, but few are aware of how beneficial it is to

Transplants Fri , Jan 28
All About Deceased Donor Liver Transplant In India

After a person is declared brain dead, and when their family members decide to donate the vital orga

Covid-19 Thu , Jan 6
All you need to know about Omicron: Symptoms, Effect and Prevention

Omicron Variant is a new strain of the COVID-19 virus that is spreading rapidly and is causing major

Health Tips Wed , Apr 8
Avoid pain from backpacks this school year

Kids carrying heavy school bags are witnessed commonly these days, it's important to remember that h

Covid-19 Mon , Jun 20
No Hospital Distancing during Abdominal Emergencies

‘The abdomen is a Pandora’s box’ is a well-known phrase described by many surgeons around the

Health Emergencies Mon , Jan 11
Neuro Emergencies: Our Motto is Integrated Neuro Care at MGM

Strokes are one of the leading causes of death around the world, but despite this, most people dont