Thread by @AJEnglish

THREAD 💓

According to @WHO, heart disease is the number 1 cause of death worldwide for both men & women of all races. Heart disease puts people at higher risk of complications from COVID-19, but the virus can also trigger heart issues.

Here's how 👇 #WorldHeartDay

@WHO In a study of 191 patients from Wuhan, China, 8% of hospitalised COVID-19 patients had cardiovascular disease.

35% of the patients who died from COVID-19 had a history of high blood pressure and 17% had a history of coronary heart disease aje.io/55aev #WorldHeartDay

@WHO This suggests that underlying heart disease can increase the severity of symptoms for those who catch COVID-19, resulting in a higher death rate.

There are three main risk groups these heart patients might fall in to: aje.io/we9zw #WorldHeartDay

@WHO We have learned from other coronavirus and influenza epidemics that viral infections can trigger heart conditions due to inflammation.

This is caused by the infection and by the body’s immune response to it - leading to cardiac disease aje.io/22626 #WorldHeartDay

@WHO Studies of COVID-19 patients found that 23% of those who were critically ill also suffered from cardiac “injury”.

The study did not conclude that the virus caused the cardiac injuries, however, just that they appeared together aje.io/22626 #WorldHeartDay