[nudephil (OP)]

Robert asks:

It seems that patients who die of COVID-19 often have underlying health issues. What are these issues? If it is smoking related/emphysema or perhaps diabetes, can those of us who don't suffer from these can draw any comfort, and have a better chance of not being badly affected? Presumably this would also give clinicians a better chance to target the most vulnerable?

Which underlying health issues are most important?

[set fair]

From the International Journal of Infectious Diseases - a meta- analysis of eight studies

The most prevalent comorbidity were
hypertension (17 ± 7, 95% CI 14-22%) 
diabetes ( 8 ± 6, 95% CI 6-11% )
cardiovascular diseases ( 5 ± 4, 95% CI 4-7% )
respiratory system disease( 2 ± 0, 95% CI 1-3% ).

Compared with the Non-severe patient, the pooled odds ratio of hypertension, respiratory system disease, cardiovascular disease in severe patients were (OR 2.36, 95% CI: 1.46-3.83), (OR 2.46, 95% CI: 1.76-3.44) and (OR 3.42, 95% CI: 1.88-6.22)respectively.

https://www.ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(20)30136-3/fulltext

[Karen W.]

Looks like I'm in trouble....a lot of those apply to me... I don't have issues with heart disease in the sense of place build up in arteries etc.. But I do have the new bovine valve from the that procedure and aortic aneurysms, etc..nephretic kidnry disease,(spelling may be wrong) passive COPD, hypertension, late stage lyme which seems to be reined in as good as we can get it...can this effect my new valve, if I catch the virus? Obviously the other stuff makes me high risked.

[vhfpmr]

I'd be interested to know what risk is associated with atrial fibrillation, but I don't think that level of detail is available yet. Doctors are at pains to point out that AF is a heart condition, not heart disease, but the media use the two terms interchangeably (although I've never seen a written definition of the difference).

[set fair]

I'd be interested to know what risk is associated with atrial fibrillation, but I don't think that level of detail is available yet. Doctors are at pains to point out that AF is a heart condition, not heart disease, but the media use the two terms interchangeably (although I've never seen a written definition of the difference).

Present in a quarter of Italian deaths page 3 of
https://www.epicentro.iss.it/coronavirus/bollettino/Report-COVID-2019_17_marzo-v2.pdf

[vhfpmr]

I'd be interested to know what risk is associated with atrial fibrillation, but I don't think that level of detail is available yet. Doctors are at pains to point out that AF is a heart condition, not heart disease, but the media use the two terms interchangeably (although I've never seen a written definition of the difference).

Present in a quarter of Italian deaths page 3 of
https://www.epicentro.iss.it/coronavirus/bollettino/Report-COVID-2019_17_marzo-v2.pdf

Yes, someone posted that on the AF forum, but it doesn't separate those with lone AF from those with comorbidities. I think there's been some talk of Covid itself causing AF, too.