The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with cardiovascular diseases

ABSTRACT

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the world, but with the Corona Virus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic emerging at the end of 2019, this issue has gained different importance. The presence of cardiovascular diseases leads to more severe COVID-19 infection and an increased mortality rate. On the other hand, COVID-19 itself causes myocardial damage and this contributes to morbidity and mortality. At the beginning of the pandemic, there was a concern that angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) would up-regulate the ACE2 receptor at the tissue level, increasing viral binding and facilitating the infection. With the current studies, this opinion has lost the influence and it was decided not to change the treatment of patients using ACE inhibitors or ARBs. Another important point is that patients with cardiovascular diseases are now far from the healthcare they could receive before as both pre-hospital and hospital health care is directed towards the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering that the epidemic will not disappear rapidly, a different arrangement may be planned in healthcare services. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.