Comorbidities in Patients with COVID-19 and Their Impact on the Severity of the Disease

Abstract

Infection with COVID-19 is associated with significant morbidity, especially in patients with chronic medical conditions. At least one-fifth of cases require supportive care in intensive care units, which have limited availability in most developing countries. A literature search was conducted on PubMed, Medline, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar to find articles published by May 7, 2020 on the role of comorbidities in patients with COVID-19 and the impact of comorbidities on the disease. This review highlighted that patients with comorbidities are more likely to experience severe disease than those with no other conditions; that is, comorbidities correlated with greater disease severity in patients with COVID-19. Proper screening of COVID-19 patients should include careful inquiries into their medical history; this will help healthcare providers identify patients who are more likely to develop serious disease or experience adverse outcomes. Better protection should also be given to patients with COVID-19 and comorbidities upon confirmation of the diagnosis. This literature review showed that the comorbidities most often associated with more severe cases of COVID-19 are hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Individuals with these comorbidities should adopt restrictive measures to prevent exposure to COVID-19, given their higher risk of severe disease.

The impact of COVID-19 on patient engagement with primary healthcare: lessons from the saudi primary care setting

“…The latest records by the WHO (April 2021)- during the COVID-19 pandemic- show that 71% of all deaths globally each year were from non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including diabetes and chronic cardiovascular and lung diseases, and more than 15 million people between the ages of 30 and 69 die from NCDs [ 35 ]. People living with NCDs were even at a higher risk of severe COVID-19-related illness and death, [ 36 ] and preventive screening remain a vital component of the response to NCDs. Continuity of preventive care at PHCs is therefore essential during pandemic times, and avoiding preventable deaths for patients is urgently needed [ 7 ].…”

The “Long COVID” Respiratory Symptoms—Concerns with Frailty and Respiratory Diseases

“…Additionally, SARS-CoV-2 infection severity and mortality has been clearly related to vulnerability due to age-related accumulation of deficits, rather than chronological age itself. 3 4 In this scenario, the need of research support is a necessary step to understand, in an international and interdisciplinary perspective, the long-term symptoms of COVID-19 in this population to manage and preserve their health lifelong. Thus, we performed a literature review on PUBMED database until December 16, 2021 using keywords and Medical Subject Headings terms related to “postacute COVID-19 syndrome” and “respiratory system,” of which the main findings were summarized in the paragraph below.…”

“…1 Thus, there is a rising concern in long-term symptoms due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, mainly in frail elderly people with respiratory pathologies and comorbidities. 2 3 4…”

“…1 Thus, there is a rising concern in long-term symptoms due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, mainly in frail elderly people with respiratory pathologies and comorbidities. [2][3][4] Recently, the term "Long COVID" had being introduced to describe the long-term symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients recovered and discharged from hospital. 5 The SARS-CoV-2 virus interact with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 negatively affecting the vascular endothelium and leading to systemic injury.…”