ABSTRACT
Cytokine storm, endothelial cell and complement activation, and hypercoagulability are implicated in the process of worsening in patients with Covid-19. Predisposing risk factors for severe Covid-19 are male gender, underlying cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular risk factors (including diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and advanced age). Venous thromboembolism is also a risk factor for deterioration of Covid-19 and is independently related to mortality. The VAS foundation (European Independent Foundation in Angiology/ Vascular Medicine) has presented an integral strategy for the management of patients with vascular diseases or cardiovascular risk factors and proposes the prevention of infection by SARS-CoV-2, the detection of patients with Covid-19 at high risk of disease worsening and the anticipation of vascular complications related to cytokine storm and hypercoagulability. This approach should help to control the vascular complications of Covid-19 and could contribute to the reduction of the flow of patients towards hospitalization, especially in ICU. The preventiondetection-anticipation strategy includes: (i) the organization of the Covid-19 network at the level of the primary health care system to protect as a priority from infection people with pathologies or worsening risk factors of disease;(ii) the development of a simple and easily applicable methodology for early identification of patients at high risk of worsening Covid-19 and for the prioritization of these patients for more specific and targeted medical care;(iii) the adaptation of antithrombotic therapy in hospitalized patients and prevention of thrombotic complications in patients after discharge from hospital.