COVID-19 and Pre-existing Medical Conditions

COVID-19 is a fairly new disease with some information regarding risk factors. Preliminary findings have indicated that those with pre-existing medical conditions have a higher risk of developing complications from the virus.

What exactly does a “pre-existing condition” mean and who’s at risk?

Dr. Agnieszka Kucharska Bielewicz, Chief Physician at Parkway Jin Qiao, General Practitioner at Parkway shares what some of these ‘pre-existing' conditions are and how to manage your health if you are at risk.

Patients with cardiovascular conditions are more likely to have severe symptoms, and a worse outcome if they contract COVID-19. Based on the data its connected with higher risk of ischemic heart disease, including a heart attack or instable angina, making it the most common and dangerous associated pre-existing condition.

Other pre-existing cardiac conditions is irregular heart rhythm including atrial fibrillation, which can cause blood clots, heart failure and stroke. It is therefore important that patients with pre-existing heart disease be extra vigilant about protecting themselves from exposure to the virus.

COVID-19 may pose a significantly higher health risk to people with diabetes type 1 and type 2.

People with diabetes are likely to have a compromised immune system, which also makes it more difficult for body to fight the coronavirus. Diabetes may also lead to chronic inflammation, disfunction of pancreas and hypercoagulability of the blood, which in turn leads to a higher risk of developing complications from the coronavirus.

Cancer

Both the cancer itself as well as its harsh treatments can compromise immune health and impair the respiratory system. Some treatments such as chemiotherapy may stop the bone marrow from creating sufficient white blood cells, which form part of the immune system. Especially those with leukaemia or lymphoma .

Chronic kidney disease

This is another pre-existing condition that has been shown to complicate recovery from COVID-19.

Patients with lung diseases such as emphysema, bronchitis or unstable asthma have a weakened ability to fight off a respiratory infection, including the coronavirus. COVID-19 can attack the lungs, causing inflammation in the lining of the lungs as well as the air sacs at the bottom of the lungs, which can then lead to pneumonia. This inflammation may reduce the amount of oxygen entering the blood stream, which can have fatal consequences when vital organ failure happens.

Liver disease

Patients with chronic liver disease (cirrhosis, autoimmune hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease) including liver transplant are at greater risk of complications from coronavirus due to the abnormal liver function and immune-suppressing medication. 

While the new coronavirus is still not fully understood, it is thought to be able to adversely affect an otherwise healthy liver. A study in China found that up to many of the new coronavirus patients had liver dysfunction at some point during their illness.

People respond to stress in different ways, and it is normal to experience a range of emotions, including fear, anxiety, and grief. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also recognized that having certain mental disorders, including depression and schizophrenia, can make people more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19. 

Other important pre-existing conditions which has impact for Covid severity outcome its obesity especially with BMI-30 and above. 

Obesity results in fat in the abdomen pushing up on the diaphragm. This can cause restricted airflow to the lungs which then results in shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Contracting COVID-19 could make breathing even more difficult. The blood of people with obesity also tends to clot more, specifically in the lungs. Overall, the immune systems in people with obesity are not as strong. As BMI increases, the risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 also increases.

How to protect yourself if you have any of these pre-existing conditions