Heart disease and corona: continue to take anticoagulants

Christine Albert studied German linguistics and literature as well as Scandinavian studies at the Albert Ludwigs University in Freiburg. She is currently doing a traineeship at Hubert Burda Media and is writing, among other things, for

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Reports about severe disease courses from Covid-19 can worry heart patients - and lead to wrong reactions. The Heart Foundation warns of this and gives advice in an emergency.

Heart patients should definitely continue to take their blood-thinning medication during the corona pandemic. It is therefore not advisable to discontinue it yourself out of uncertainty due to assumed complications in the event of infection with the virus. The German Heart Foundation emphasizes this.

Inform doctors about anticoagulants

Do you have a heart condition and are you taking anticoagulants ("blood thinners")? Then make sure to inform your treating physician that you are already taking medication to prevent thrombosis. According to the foundation, this prevents unwanted double treatment with anticoagulants, as is currently also recommended for Covid-19.

The thrombosis is a blood clot occlusion of blood vessels. The most common thrombosis occurs in the veins in the leg. Important signs of a thrombosis are swelling, pain, and red or bluish discoloration of the skin. Thrombosis is dangerous because the clot can break loose and be flushed into other organs. If the blood clot or parts of it get into the lungs, for example, they can cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism there.

Keeping your heart fit with sport

According to the experts, doctors see a connection between coagulation disorders and serious courses of Covid-19 - "with complications such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism up to death". Particularly in the case of patients with heart problems, which are associated with an increased risk of embolism and infarction and who therefore have to take blood thinners on a permanent basis, corresponding reports led to uncertainty.

As a preventive measure, the experts advise exercising to keep the heart fit. Running, cycling or gymnastics promoted blood circulation and vascular elasticity and, according to the information, reduce the risk of severe Covid-19 disease if you become infected. (approx / dpa)

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