Contents
With the emergence of new strains of coronavirus, the severity of the infection is constantly changing. Often, even young people who have practically no serious health problems get sick. But it has already been proven that in the presence of chronic diseases, coronavirus infection is much more dangerous.1
According to statistics, most deaths from coronavirus are among the elderly and patients with chronic pathologies.
In general, with a coronavirus infection, any chronic diseases are dangerous, but experts identify several groups of pathologies in which complications appear most often, they are dangerous and can be fatal.2.
- Asthma and chronic lung disease.
With these pathologies, there is already chronic inflammation in the bronchi. Against the background of infection with a coronavirus infection, the inflammatory process intensifies and spreads through the respiratory system.
In asthma, coronavirus can cause an increase in broncho-obstructive attacks, the development of status asthmaticus, which in itself is a life-threatening condition. In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronavirus damages lung tissue, which can lead to the rapid development of respiratory failure and, as a result, hypoxia. The risk of death in such pathologies is significantly higher.3.
- Diabetes.
With this disease, the risk of developing any infectious complications is high. In the case of coronavirus infection against the background of diabetes, the likelihood of complications and an extremely severe course increases significantly – an uncontrolled increase / decrease in blood sugar that damages blood vessels and nerve fibers, an increase in blood pressure, and a high risk of thrombosis. If there is excess weight in addition to diabetes, the risk of a severe course is even higher.
- Diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
These pathologies are among the most common on the planet. Hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, arrhythmias, heart defects and atherosclerosis are very dangerous in themselves. With inflammation of the lungs, the body already suffers due to oxygen deficiency, heart problems increase these risks many times over. In addition, with COVID-19, blood problems often arise: it thickens, blockage of blood vessels by blood clots in the brain (and, as a result, a stroke) or in the heart (heart attack) can occur.
- Oncological diseases.
Cancer patients are seriously weakened, their immunity is suppressed due to illness or aggressive treatments (radiation, chemotherapy). Against the background of reduced immunity, any infection, even SARS, is dangerous for them. Moreover, coronavirus is capable of provoking rapid and aggressive inflammation in the lungs, brain damage, and the development of bacterial infections. These complications can be fatal5.
- Autoimmune pathologies.
In these diseases, a person’s immunity attacks their own cells of various organs and tissues, which may require certain methods of treatment – the use of immunosuppressants – drugs that suppress the activity of their own immune system. In the case of the development of a coronavirus infection in such patients, it is very difficult to predict the response: it is more difficult for their body to fight COVID-19, so they usually endure the disease in a severe form.
To protect yourself from coronavirus, you should follow the recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor on self-isolation, wearing protective equipment and using antiseptics6.
Without an urgent need, you should not visit crowded places where the risk of infection is high. After contact with the patient, you should immediately consult a doctor to determine the tactics of emergency prevention and correction of the treatment of the underlying disease.
Of course, you need to constantly keep in touch with your doctor and follow all his recommendations for treatment.
Popular questions and answers
It is important for people with chronic pathologies to protect themselves from infections. We discussed with experts how to do this, whether they can be vaccinated with new vaccines and what they risk when they become infected.
The first is complications that are associated with lung damage and the development of severe respiratory failure. Often, patients after the disease develop fibrosis (compaction of the lung tissue with replacement by connective tissue that is not able to perform a gas exchange function), which can be severe.
The second is the addition of bacterial infections. In this case, opportunistic bacteria that inhabit any organism are activated and lead to bacterial pneumonia, pyelonephritis and other problems.
The third is thrombotic complications. With coronavirus infection, blood clotting increases. It is possible to develop microthrombosis of vessels of various organs, which can significantly disrupt their work, as well as thrombosis of peripheral arteries and veins, strokes, heart attack.
3-5 days before vaccination, it is not recommended to visit crowded places in order to exclude the possibility of contracting a coronavirus infection and other infections.
Before vaccination, be sure to consult your doctor!
Sources of
- INTERIM GUIDELINES FOR THE PREVENTION, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF THE NEW CORONAVIRUS INFECTION (COVID-19) https://static-0.minzdrav.gov.ru/system/attachments/attaches/000/055/735/original/BMP_COVID-19.pdf
- Nikiforov V.V., Suranova T.G., Chernobrovkina Tatyana Yakovlevna, Yankovskaya Ya.D., Burova S.V. Novel coronavirus infection (Covid-19): clinical and epidemiological aspects // Archives of Internal Medicine. 2020. No. 2 (52). https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/novaya-koronavirusnaya-infektsiya-covid-19-kliniko-epidemiologicheskie-aspekty
- Bilichenko T. N. Epidemiology of a new coronavirus infection (COVID-19) // Academy of Medicine and Sports. 2020. №2. https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/epidemiologiya-novoy-koronavirusnoy-infektsii-covid-19 (date of access: 25.06.2021/XNUMX/XNUMX)
- Starshinova A. A., Kushnareva E. A., Malkova A. M., Dovgalyuk I. F., Kudlai D. A. New coronavirus infection: features of the clinical course, possibilities for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infection in adults and children. Questions of modern pediatrics. 2020; 19(2): 123–131. doi:10.15690/vsp.v19i2.2105)
- PREVENTION. Information on coronavirus and preventive measures. https://mosgorzdrav.ru/coronavirus-covid-19
- 8 steps to prevent coronavirus infection. https://stopcoronavirus.rf/about-covid/#prevention