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American Heart Month is upon us once again, and as we move through our yearly period of observance for all things heart health, we&rsquo;ll try to tackle a few heart-related topics in my column.
				Recently, my weekly musings have been dedicated to the ever-present spread of COVID-19 infection in our communities, namely the progression of vaccine distribution to combat the pandemic. And given the importance and relevance of the topic, that was probably for the best.
				But, if the pandemic allows, I&rsquo;ll address a few timely heart subjects this month, taking an appropriate detour for COVID-19, if the pandemic demands attention. This first week, though, I thought I&rsquo;d attempt a happy medium by discussing COVID-19 and the heart.
				We know from studying COVID-19 infection that resulting symptoms and complications are likely to be most severe in people with certain medical conditions, such as kidney disease, lung disease, diabetes and obesity. Prominent among these at-risk conditions, or comorbidities, are heart conditions and cardiovascular diseases like heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure).
				Having any of these significantly increases a person&rsquo;s risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
				Data released over the summer by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates patients with chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease are six times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 and 12 times more likely to die of COVID-19 than patients with no underlying conditions.
				So, what should you do if you&rsquo;re at high risk?
				First, you&rsquo;ll want to keep your chances of becoming infected as low as possible by:
				&#8226; Staying at least six feet away from anyone who lives outside your household
				&#8226; Wearing a well-fitting mask over your mouth and nose whenever outside your home
				&#8226; Washing your hands thoroughly and regularly or using a hand sanitizer made from at least 60 percent alcohol
				Next, you&rsquo;ll want to get your COVID-19 vaccine.
				If you have any of the conditions listed above, you&rsquo;re likely eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Pennsylvania. The vaccine is safe and effective, and if you have any doubts about whether it will be safe for you, you should consult your primary care physician. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19, along with following the safety measures I just mentioned, will greatly reduce your odds of contracting the virus and experiencing severe infection. Beyond that, the CDC has recommendations for how to monitor and maintain heart conditions during the pandemic:
				&#8226; Take medications exactly as prescribed and follow your doctor&rsquo;s recommendations for diet and exercise while maintaining physical distancing precautions
				&#8226; Continue angiotensin enzyme inhibitors (ACE-1) or angiotensin-11 receptor blockers (ARB) as prescribed by your doctor for heart failure or high blood pressure.
				&#8226; Be sure to have at least a 30-day supply of heart disease medications for conditions like high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
				&#8226; Call your doctor if you are concerned about your condition or feel sick.
				&#8226; If you do not have a primary care physician, contact the nearest community health center or health department.
				&#8226; Never delay life-saving treatment or emergency care.
				Be conscious of your heart throughout the rest of this pandemic. We have hope that it is more behind us than ahead of us, but there&rsquo;s no way to know how much longer we&rsquo;ll be battling COVID-19.
				Protect yourself; protect others in your community and we&rsquo;ll make it through this together.