Conditions that Increase the Risk for Covid-19 Severity

Covid-19 symptoms vary widely. While some people do not have symptoms at all, others get severe symptoms to the extent that they need mechanical assistance for breathing in the end.

Age is among the top factors that increase the risk of developing dangerous symptoms for coronavirus. Older people and especially those with other illnesses such as heart and lung disease and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of being overshadowed by the disease. Same is the case to people with other respiratory illnesses like influenza.

The risk of contracting the disease is higher in people with several of these conditions. These conditions have been discussed below.

Older Age

People of any age can catch covid-19, even children. Nevertheless, mostly its middle-aged and older adults that are affected. Those with the age of 85 and above are the most affected and are at risk of developing severe symptoms.

Age increases the risk of severe illness. About 80% of covid-19 deaths recorded in the USA are for people aged 65 and above. Covid-19 deaths by age tend to be higher among older people with underlying health conditions.

The risk of severe illness increases by age due to either of the following reasons:

• Compromised immune function – Naturally, humans’ immune function decreases with age, so their bodies find it harder to fight infections.
• Inflammation – Since the immune system or older people is weak, it tends to react by over-responding to infections which causes inflammation. When inflammation sparks out of control, it can lead to a condition called a cytokine storm.
• Complications–Older people generally tend to have multiple body complications. Presence of a respiratory infection can quickly worsen a pre-existing condition of the heart, kidneys or liver.
• Decreased Lung Function – Lings tend to lose their elasticity with age, so they are unlikely to sustain normal breathing when a pneumonia-like complication develops.

Chronic Lung Disease

Covid-19 attacks the lungs, so the possibility of a pre-existing lung condition worsening is high. The risk is higher if an infected person has these conditions:

• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
• Lung Cancer

Other lung conditions that expose you to the risk of a severe illness include:

• Cystic Fibrosis
• Pulmonary Fibrosis
• Moderate to serious asthma

Medications administered for these conditions can weaken your immune system, but it’s advisable to stay on the maintenance medications to keep coronavirus day by day symptoms maintained.

Talk with your dentist about the possibility of acquiring a continuous supply of emergency medications like asthma inhalers.

Heart Disease

There is an inherent link between the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Blood must pass through the heart before it’s delivered to the lungs.

Having a respiratory infection means that there is not enough oxygen entering the lungs. Therefore, the heart has to keep up with the diminished oxygenated blood and has to work harder to deliver this blood to the vital tissues.

Coronavirus patients with pre-existing cardiovascular infections are even at a higher risk of developing heart attack and hypertension. In the worst-case scenario, one might suffer a stroke.

Diabetes

If not well-controlled, type I and type II diabetes can spike the blood sugar levels significantly. Various studies indicate that the body’s inability to control blood sugar level is among the top reasons some people get Covid-19 quickly and have it worse.

When there is too much blood sugar in the body, ketones an acidic deposit, limit white blood cells production increasing one’s vulnerability to infection, a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. Even with the absence of ketoacidosis, people with diabetes tend to have an immune suppression.

Kidney and Liver Disease

Diagnosing Covid-19 involves checking whether the patient has an underlying chronic condition that could worsen the symptoms. Apparently, people with chronic liver and kidney diseases indicate more severe symptoms than healthy individuals. You may have a weakenedimmune system if you host a kidney infection.

Note that taking medications to control kidney and liver disorders can harm the liver.

Weak Immune System

Data from Covid-19 tests in Houston reveal that many confirmed cases were in patients with weakened immune systems. The immune system is responsible for fighting off germs and infections such as coronavirus.

Certain conditions weaken your immune system exposing you to lethal side effects of coronavirus. They include:

• Organ Transplant
• Cancer Treatment

Other situations that increase the risk of the advancement of coronavirus symptoms day by day include:

• Bone marrow transplant
• HIV/AIDS
• Long-term use of drugs that can weaken your immune system such as prednisone.

Visit the Covid-19 emergency care in Houston if you exhibit emergency symptoms such as shortness of breath and severe fever that’s increasing by the hour.