Asthma is known to be one of the factors that puts patients in a more severe and riskier situation when contracted with coronavirus. In fact, it is one of the underlying health conditions defined to be dangerous in fighting against the virus. Today, we will be sharing some factors that you need to be aware of with regards to asthma and its impact combined with coronavirus. 

At times like this, it is ever more important to maximize and maintain your lung health, especially if you have asthma. Dr. Lakiea Wright describes breathing for patients with asthma as feeling as if you are breathing through a straw because the inflammation is restricting the airway and you could imagine what kind of impact an extra inflammation caused by coronavirus can have on breathing. Patients that are more likely to end up with ventilators are those with this health condition due to the heavy damage in the lungs caused by coronavirus.

Coronavirus shares similar symptoms with asthma as well as allergies. With regards to asthma, coughing, shortness of breath and chest tightness are the key signs that are common to those of coronavirus whereas sneezing, runny nose, red eyes and fatigue are the shared symptoms for allergies. Among the 25 million Americans with asthma, about two thirds are said to suffer from allergic triggers from the environmental allergens such as dust, insects, pets, mold and pollen. It is known that the case is worse for children as up to 90% of children with asthma can have allergic asthma, said Dr. Wright. 

Due to the common symptoms found in asthma and coronavirus, many people are even more confused and they are advised to look for more clear and distinguishing symptoms of coronavirus such as fever and body aches because these symptoms are not found in asthma or allergies. For those with allergic asthma, try antihistamines and other allergy medications and treatments to see if they reduce the symptoms. If these treatments do reduce the symptoms, then that serves as a sign that it’s just allergies. 

For asthma, those who are experiencing asthma attacks are likely to have a history of asthma and will be able to compare the symptoms experienced to the previous or typical asthma attacks. Even if you were to have contracted coronavirus and have an asthma attack at the save time, a rescue inhaler you normally use should improve asthma symptoms. 

Prevention Methods:

• Know your triggers: each person’s asthma triggers are different. Analyze your environment and minimize your exposure to dust, smells, or any other allergens that can trigger an asthma attack
• Keep a record: those with asthma are advised to use peak flow meters, devices that measure the strength of a breath to monitor how well their airways are staying open, Rizzo said. A daily record of that and other signs should be kept. It is also advised to assess how often you seek rescue medications and the frequency of wake-ups during the night with a cough or a wheeze. If possible, take temperature on a daily basis to detect any changes.
• Locate and check your medications: make sure to know where your rescue inhaler is, specifically albuterol or levalbuterol, the inhaler strictly used for an acute attack. In addition, ensure that your medications are not expired.
• Have an asthma action plan prepared: as each asthma trigger is different for each individual as well as the response of the lungs, work with your doctor to prepare your own action plan. It can help you decide whether you need to call your doctor and get any additional medication. 

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https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/21/health/asthma-coronavirus-wellness/index.html

While many of us are spending a majority of our time at home, the occasional outing to get groceries, medicine and other supplies is still necessary, leading to questions of how to protect ourselves while out among others. And while it is good to act with an abundance of caution — wearing masks, gloves, and thouroughly washing your hands often — how far should we be going to avoid getting sick?

A common question many people have is whether it is necessary to wash your clothes and take a shower after you've been out of your house, the assumption being that the virus can stick to your clothes and hair if you're exposed to it. Rest assured, this is not the case.

Reassuringly, experts say that showering and changing clothes is an unnecessary step to protect yourself from COVID-19 and, if you've found yourself doing this, you can eliminate it from your sanitation regimine. This is because the respitory droplets that hang in the air for up to 30 minutes when somebody breathes, sneezes or coughs, are too small to actually stick to your clothes and hair. Any droplets that are big enough to do so will most likely end up on the floor, unless somebody coughs or sneezes directly on you. Only in that case is it recommended to wash your clothes and your body to avoid the virus.

It's also been noted in past studies of SARS, another form of coronavirus, that the absorbant nature of fabrics and papers tends to dry out the virus and kill it within three to 24 hours of contact, depending on the amount the materials are exposed to. This leaves little worry that the virus can be carried home on clothes, packages or newspapers. But, if you find yourself wary of handling packages, let them sit for a day to make sure any potential viruses are gone.

Above all else, stick to these tried-and-true practices to avoid getting sick:

• Wash your hands thouroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
• Wear a mask or face covering when in public.
• Avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, mouth and ears.
• Practice social distancing and only leave home to restock on essentials.

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What is the relationship between coronavirus and high blood pressure? Do individuals with high blood pressure have a higher risk of getting the virus? Or does high blood pressure impact recovery? Today, we will be informing you about important facts you need to know about coronavirus and its relationship to high blood pressure. 

Patients with high blood pressure have a higher risk of more severe complications if contracted with COVID19. Dr. Maria Carolina Delgado-Lelievre, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Miami said, if you are contracted with a viral disease that will cause damage to the lungs, you need a heart that can work with how your body responds to the virus. However, for those with hypertension, coronavirus will cause a systematic reaction in the body in a patient who is already at risk due to poor heart health. Because of this, the virus can attack multiple organ system in the body. 

High blood pressure is known to be the most common type of heart disease in the U.S. and affects almost half of American adults, number resulting to about 108 million Americans. With individuals with cardiovascular disease at the most risk with COVID19, it is important to understand warning signs. 

Hypertension will happen when an abnormality in blood vessels occur which can impair the way oxygen is transferred to the cells. According to a study of patients in Wuhan, China, a low blood oxygen level was common among those hospitalized with COVID19. Because high blood pressure does not come with noticeable symptoms, the best way to identify it is to do a blood pressure reading. 

How to monitor your blood pressure (the American Heart Association):

1. Have a blood pressure cuff. Dr. Delgado-Lelievre said, “today’s technology is accurate enough that using a digital wrist cuff can get a good blood pressure reading”
2. Rest in a sturdy chair for at least five minutes; make sure to sit with your back straight and keep your forearms supported on a flat surface such as a table, and keep the blood pressure cuff placed directly above where your elbow bends
3. Make sure to take the readings at the same time every day
4. Any blood pressure reading of 120 over 80 is considered elevated. The first level of hypertension is defined as 130 or higher for systolic (the top number) and 80 or higher for diastolic (the lower number)

How to manage the risk:

• Maintain social distancing, wash hands often, and avoid touching your face
• Specifically for high blood pressure, try to relax as much as possible as stress can elevate the blood pressure level
• Hypertension is a genetic disease, however it has external factors that can make it worse such as lifestyle, diet and exercise 
• Try relaxation exercises or lie down and listen to music 
• Worst case, the American Heart Association says to take medications your doctor may have prescribed for blood pressure, including ACE inhibitors and ARBs

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For more information and sources, please visit: 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/17/health/blood-pressure-coronavirus-wellness/index.html