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When friends and relatives showed up, I was still polite, but the wall had now become an infinite darkness and I was obviously in shock, so they took over, helping me to eat and notify people and write death notices. I didn’t cry then, but a wall came down in my mind and I could do nothing except be polite and make the necessary decisions. To learn more about the extra safety precautions in place at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center, visit /getcare.įor the news media: To speak with Dr.In 1987, when my 18-year-old son was killed in a train accident, a chaplain and two detectives came to my house to notify me. We’ve already taken a lot of steps, and continue, to make the ER and hospital safe for patients to come in.” The best thing I can tell my patients with high blood pressure to do throughout this pandemic is to eat as healthy as possible, make time for exercise, stay current with appointments with your doctor, and don’t ever delay going to the emergency room for a serious medical need.
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“There is a lot that can be done for prevention, though. “Having high blood pressure can lead to serious complications like heart attack, stroke, heart failure and aneurysm formation,” says Dr. Anyone with a reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher who is also experiencing chest pain, shortness of breath, or changes in vision or speech should call 911. Extreme high blood pressure, a reading of 180/120 mmHg or higher, should seek immediate medical attention. People with a systolic above 130 or a diastolic above 80 - a reading of higher than 130/80 mmHg - are considered to have hypertension. With high blood pressure being a risk factor for serious conditions like heart attack, stroke and heart failure, it’s important that patients do all they can to keep it under control despite the pandemic.īlood pressure measurement includes two numbers: systolic (top number) and diastolic (bottom number). In San Diego County, there have been 20 to 40 fewer heart attacks reported each month since the COVID-19 pandemic began, as well as a 70% decrease in calls to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system. Hospitals across the country are reporting fewer visits for urgent medical needs, which some experts believe isn’t because patients are having fewer of them, but rather they’re avoiding or delaying seeking treatment.
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While the link between hypertension and serious complications isn’t entirely clear yet, what is clear is keeping blood pressure under control is extremely important.ĬOVID-19’s other dangerous implication is that it has kept many patients away from local hospitals and emergency rooms due to fears about getting the coronavirus. More studies are needed to determine if there is, in fact, a cause and effect.” “What was found is COVID infects the cells that help regulate blood pressure, suggesting a possible link between hypertension and severe COVID infection. Steven Rough, a cardiologist affiliated with Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center. “Early reports from areas of the world most affected by COVID-19 showed higher morbidity and mortality rates in patients with conditions like hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes and obesity,” says Dr. Possible link between blood pressure regulation and COVID-19 People with high blood pressure may be at greater risk of more serious complications from the coronavirus, including death. As COVID-19 outbreaks continued, a new concern emerged. Blood pressure that’s not well-managed can lead to serious complications, such as heart attack and stroke. More concerning is that only 1 in 4 adults have their blood pressure under control.
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103 million people - have high blood pressure, also known as hypertension. When cases of COVID-19 began to surge around the world, experts realized the virus was particularly dangerous for people with heart disease and related conditions, especially high blood pressure.
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