Marking World Heart Day with a grim statement, the World Heart Federation says that Covid-19 is creating a perfect storm for heart disease.
WHF explained that Covid-19 patients with heart disease are among those with the highest risk of death and severe complications.
Second, mounting research has revealed that the heart might be adversely affected by the virus even in people without pre-existing conditions.
And finally, fear of the virus has led to a sharp decline in hospital visits by heart patients for routine and emergency care.
This trifecta is the reason why the global health community needs to unite now more than ever to beat cardiovascular disease, which kills 17.9 million people every year.
WHF has also launched a global study on heart disease and coronavirus to better understand outcomes and risk.