Many of us get sick every year with some kind of illness, be it colds, sinus infections or flu. Although most of these diseases are manageable and easy to forget to recover from, you may want to have a look back at your medical history in the midst of the COVID pandemic, as it may be a predictor of how your body virus will handle. A new Harvard study has found that an earlier case of one particularly common disease may have a greater risk of dying from COVID. Read on to find out if you have been at risk, and for more information on severe cases of coronavirus: If you did, you are twice as likely to develop severe COVID.
Harvard researchers recently discovered that an earlier case of pneumonia could be a strong indication that you would have a serious or even fatal case if you were infected with COVID. In their new study, published in the journal NPJ Digital Medicine on February 4, they extracted data from the medical records of nearly 17,000 COVID patients. Their research showed that pneumonia after age was the second largest risk factor for death due to COVID. Of those who died from COVID, nearly 49 percent had a history of pneumonia.
“A history of pneumonia, rarely asked in typical epidemiological studies, has been one of the major risk factors in predicting COVID-19 deaths,” the researchers said in their study. And for more ways to reduce your risk, find out why these 3 vitamins can save you from severe COVID.
Pneumonia is a very common disease in the US According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2017 nearly 1.3 million Americans were diagnosed with pneumonia. The agency says that although most people who have pneumonia in the country are adults, they are adults. , this lung infection can affect people of all ages. And for more concerns about the coronavirus, know that dr. Fauci has just issued this new warning about COVID.
According to Health, many people never even realize they have had a case of pneumonia – especially if they have had a mild case. Zachary Strasser, Managing director, one of the study authors and a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard to Massachusetts General, told Bloomberg News that it is even common for cases of chronic pneumonia not to be diagnosed.
According to the American Lung Association, this may be due to the fact that “it can be difficult to diagnose pneumonia because the symptoms are so variable and often very similar to those seen in a cold or flu.” The symptoms of pneumonia include cough, fever, shortness of breath, chest pain, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea and confusion. And sign up for our daily newsletter for more current COVID news.
The CDC has compiled a list of medical conditions that put you at increased risk for serious illness or death from COVID, but pneumonia is not one of them. However, as Harvard researchers note, a previous case of pneumonia may be an indication of an underlying condition. is included in the list of risk factors.
In fact, the CDC says you are more likely to get pneumonia if you smoke or have underlying medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. And smoking, diabetes and heart disease are listed by the CDC as conditions that increase your risk of severe COVID. And for more information from this agency, find out why The CDC warns against using these 6 face masks.