The Truth About Coronavirus and Your Heart

There’s a lot we still don’t know about the coronavirus.

But here’s what we do know: It is especially hard on people with heart disease.

So far, the highest fatalities are among people with existing heart disease.

But what’s the connection between a respiratory virus and your heart?

You’ll be surprised by the answer.

People with heart disease are more likely to develop COVID-19 and are more likely to have severe symptoms.

And a study in China that included over 44,000 people with COVID-19 found people with heart disease had the greatest risk of dying.

The case fatality rate (meaning the proportion of people with COVID-19 who died among people with heart disease) was 10 percent.

It was 7.3 percent in people with diabetes.

And 6.3 percent in people with a chronic respiratory condition.

Another small study found that, of the people who developed COVID-19 and lived to tell about it, NONE of them had heart disease.

These findings echo what happened with other recent coronavirus outbreaks: SARS (in 2002) and MERS (in 2012).

Studies showed that cardiovascular complications (like a rapid heartbeat and hypotension) were common in people with SARS.

And a study on people with MERS showed that almost one third of them had heart disease.

So what’s the connection between coronaviruses and your heart?

While it’s still too soon to say for sure, it appears that COVID-19 can cause the muscle tissue in the heart to become inflamed.

This condition (called myocarditis) can cause a rapid or abnormal heartbeat.

Case studies have shown that people develop myocarditis alongside of COVID-19.

And it is well-known that viral infections in general are one of the most common causes of this heart abnormality.

The bottom line is that coronaviruses can cause heart problems and exacerbate heart problems if you already have them.

It’s both the chicken and the egg.

If you already have a heart condition, I highly recommend taking extreme precaution during this critical time.

Stay home.

Have someone else do your shopping.

Wash your hands.

Don’t touch your face.

Spend plenty of time outside to boost your body’s immune defenses with vitamin D.

Get plenty of immune-building rest.

In short, be smart and take this threat seriously.

It could literally be a matter of life and death.