Coronavirus Attacks Lining of Blood Vessels All Over Body, Scientist Finds

A new study found out that the coronavirus attacks lining of blood vessels all over the body resulting into critical conditions for patients.

According to a new study, the coronavirus was found to attack the lining of blood vessels leading to organ failure, added the Lancet.

Frank Ruschitzka, the author of the study mentioned, "This virus does not only attack the lungs, but it also attacks the vessels everywhere."

He pointed out that the virus enters the endothelium which protects the blood vessels. When the lining of blood vessels is attacked, this can become multi-organ failure.

What happens next when the virus attacks, it reduces blood flow to parts of the body, and stops efficient blood circulation, said Ruschitzha, chairman of the Heart Centre and Cardiology Department at the University Hospital in Switzerland.

The coronavirus is not just savage because it attacks more than just the lungs and goes on assaulting all blood vessels.

What really causes problems is when the patient has the coronavirus in their organs like the heart, kidney, intestine, and other parts of the body.

He explains why smokers and those with bad health and a weakened blood vessel are susceptible to the coronavirus. This is an important discovery because it explains some conditions that become fatal.

If these conditions exist, that has hypertension, or high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and established cardiovascular disease can potentially kill the host, because of more than a weak immune system.

This study was published on Friday, wherein they discovered the virus in the endothelial cells. It can also be noticed in inflammatory cells in COVID-19 patients.

Also read: Coronavirus Effects: How it Harms Human Body Organs

Results of the analysis and what it means

All the evidence was retrieved from three cases that Ruschitzka used as a basis for findings on the effect of COVID-19 on the bloodstream. In autopsies of dead patients, their blood vessel linings were infected with the virus. All the vessels were impaired in all organs too.

One example is a 71-year-old COVID-19 patient with coronary artery disease and arterial hypertension. Later, he got a multisystem organ failure and died soon after during treatment.

After he died, then patients transplanted kidney have the COVID-19 in the endothelial cells, looking further with more inflammatory cells in the heart. Other organs like the heart, small bowel, and lungs had small congested vessels.

One other case that shows evidence of the COVID-19 attacking the blood vessel lining is a 58-year old with a history of diabetes, arterial hypertension and obesity developed mesenteric ischemia or decreased blood flow to the small intestine that can permanently damage the organ.

She had other problems like Lymphocytic endothelins, which causes inflammation of the endothelium, was also found in her lungs, heart, kidneys and liver.

One of the ways to cure the patient is by trying to stabilise the endothelium and stop the COVID-19 from multiplying.

Vaccination is one way to avoid having the virus multiply. Ruschitzka suggested improving vascular health as a way to lessen the impact on the patient.

Most patients for COVID-19 should be checked for underlying cardiovascular conditions. With better treatment, most will survive COVID-19

"All patients who are at risk and the elderly should be treated very well for the underlying cardiovascular conditions. The better they are treated, the more likely they are to survive the COVID-19 infection," he said.

By reducing coronavirus attacks lining of blood vessels all over the body, everyone has a better chance of surviival.