COVID-19: Expert opinion on thrombosis
COVID-19 leads to the formation of blood clots in a significant number of people with a severe form of the disease.
In an interview for Medical News Today, thrombosis expert Prof. Beverley Hunt explains why blood clots are dangerous for those with the novel coronavirus.
Many experts believed that they would primarily face respiratory symptoms in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.
The novelty was that they did not expect some people infected with COVID-19 to present cardiovascular complications, have digestive symptoms, skin lesions, neurological disorders, kidney damage, or lose their sense of smell and taste.
Blood clots are another complication that has endangered the lives of a large number of people infected with COVID-19 who had a severe form of the disease.
But why would a virus that primarily infects the respiratory tract cause blood clots? This is another question that specialists must answer.
Professor Beverley Hunt made statements regarding the biology of blood coagulation, stating that it is surprising how the novel coronavirus changes the properties of blood, especially in those with severe disease. Movement, she says, is necessary and extremely important to reduce the risk of thrombosis.
How do blood clots form and why are they potentially dangerous?
Prof. Hunt: “In 1846, the German pathologist Rudolf Virchow described three things that predispose people to venous thrombosis. These are:
- Changes in blood flow
- Changes in blood viscosity
- Changes in the blood vessel walls.”
Of these, blood flow is probably the most important. By standing still for just 90 minutes without moving our legs, blood flow drops by about 50%. Therefore, we depend entirely on movement to maintain blood flow.
This is a major risk factor for patients in the hospital, for someone who is ill and bedridden, but also for anyone who sits still without moving for long periods of time.
Blood viscosity is another very important indicator of our health. Increased viscosity negatively affects the condition of the heart, blood vessels, and all internal organs. In the presence of such a state, there is a risk of blood clots and other negative manifestations.
Changes in blood vessel walls also lead to blood clotting, especially in overweight people, people who have surgery, fractures, suffer from hormonal changes, or are bedridden for long periods of time.
Returning to COVID-19, we know that the novel coronavirus can enter the lining of blood vessels. The novel coronavirus acts somewhat like the “conductor of the blood clotting orchestra.”
Therefore, the virus would directly attack endothelial cells, causing inflammation of the inner lining of the blood vessels. This is not absurd because the walls are lined with ACE2 receptors, suspected to be the gateway for the virus into the body.
Methods for preventing COVID-19
Preventing COVID-19 involves a series of preventive measures, and the role of disinfectants is essential in this fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Here are some methods for preventing COVID-19 and the role of disinfectants in these strategies:
- Hand hygiene: Frequent hand washing with water and soap is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of the virus. When soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand sanitizers are an effective alternative. They help eliminate the virus from the hands and reduce the risk of transmission by touching the face.
- Surface cleaning: The SARS-CoV-2 virus can survive on surfaces for a period of time. Regular disinfection of surfaces with disinfectant solutions helps eliminate the virus from surfaces and reduces the risk of contamination. Frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, railings, and work surfaces, should be disinfected, especially in public spaces and at the workplace.
- Wearing masks: The use of face masks in public spaces is another important measure for preventing COVID-19. Masks help reduce the spread of respiratory droplets that may contain the virus. Hand sanitizers can be used to sanitize hands before and after handling masks.
Source: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/covid-19-ive-never-seen-such-sticky-blood-says-thrombosis-expert#The-conductor-of-the-blood-clotting-orchestra
