During a webinar to mark World Heart Day 2021, Philippine Heart Association secretary Dr. Ronald Cuyco said cardiovascular diseases, particularly ischemia, is the no. 1 killer disease in the Philippines, with COVID-19 ranking fifth.
Dr. Maria Encarnita Limpin, Philippine College of Physicians president, said their profiling of COVID-19 cases at the Philippine Heart Center showed that there was a high risk of virus infection among heart patients.
“Once they get the virus, most likely they suffer from severe or critical COVID, and sometimes they die,” she said.
She advised those with heart ailments to get vaccinated.
“Even if you have a co-morbidity illness, you may only suffer from moderate infection if you are vaccinated,” she said.
Another PHA doctor, Don Robespierre Reyes, said smokers are also at higher risk of getting infected.
“You have to remove your mask to smoke or vape so the chance of getting COVID is high,” he said.