COVID-19: Why do heart patients get sick more often hard-to – Naturopathy naturopathy specialist portal

Reasons for increased severity COVID-19-gradients in heart disease

Under the heavy COVID-19-gradients, which are caused by the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, to find diseases particularly common to people with heart. So far, this correlation was observed only. An American research team has now found the first reasons for this connection.

A research team at the renowned Mayo Clinic in the United States provides important clues about the connection between heart disease and heavy COVID-19-gradients and why the heart suffered people are at an increased risk for severe courses of the disease. The study was published as a Pre-Proof in the journal “Mayo Clinic Proceedings”.

More ACE-2-receptors diseases, in particular heart

Several evaluations have already shown that under the heavy COVID-19-gradients often people with certain heart diseases. The Mayo Clinic Team found a possible explanation for this connection. The latest research results suggest that in female patients and in patients with obstructive Hyper cardiomyopathy can accommodate the production of ACE2 is increased Protein in the heart. Exactly this Protein is required for SARS-CoV-2, to enter the cells.

Double-negative effect

In the normal case, the heart tries to compensate by increasing production of disease-related changes. The increased number of ACE2 receptors provides the Virus but at the same time more points of attack. The I, according to the experts of the Mayo Clinic two negative consequences. Because the Virus to a more common in the cells occupied at the same time a protective pathway to counteract typically the negative influence of the hormone Angiotensin II can penetrate. This hormone increases blood pressure and leads to accumulation of fluid.

The researchers analyzed samples of heart muscle tissues from 106 Affected, operated on because of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). In addition, as a control group of 39 healthy donors were investigated in the heart. “Of all the RNA transcripts in the human genome, our research showed that the most highly-regulated RNA transcription in heart muscle, ACE2,” says the cardiologist, Dr. Michael Ackerman.

Five-fold increase in the ACE2 protein levels

“In fact, we confirmed in these patients with obstructive HCM, a five-fold increase in the ACE2 protein levels in the heart muscle,” says heart expert. This is a possible explanation for why COVID-19-patients with certain heart diseases have a higher risk for a severe course.

This is true for all heart diseases?

The effect has been confirmed only in the case of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In the next step, the Team plans to re-examine this connection in the case of other heart diseases such as high blood pressure. The researchers also propose to check the ACE2 levels in the lung tissue of COIVD-19-deceased, in order to determine whether this is higher than in healthy individuals. (vb)