Impact of COVID-19

Watch Professor Jon Gibbins, Director of the Institute for Cardiovascular & Metabolic Research, explain how COVID-19 impacts our cardiovascular system.

Scientists are still trying to understand exactly why infection with COVID-19 leads to such a wide range of outcomes; in many cases the infection is asymptomatic or results in a mild respiratory illness, whereas in some cases it progresses to a severe illness that can be fatal.

The severe symptoms are thought to be the result of an uncontrolled inflammation causing damage to the lungs and other internal organs. This can also stimulate the liver to produce excessive clotting factors, making the blood extremely sticky and causing blood clots to form around the body. COVID-19 patients are therefore at a higher risk of developing complications including deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolisms, heart attacks, and strokes.

In the video, Jon explains the results of the research into COVID-19 so far and the approaches currently being explored to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on those with cardiovascular problems. He highlights the University of Reading research in this area and some of the challenges which scientists have faced.

Video produced September 2020.

Further reading

Learn more about what coronavirus means for you, if you have a heart or circulatory condition, take a look at the BHF webpages.

Explore microbes that cause infections and the techniques used by microbiologists to identify them in Small and Mighty: Introduction to Microbiology. This course starts again on 5 October.

Find out how the University of Reading is working together with partners to support efforts to fight COVID-19, treat the disease, and mitigate the impacts of the coronavirus crisis on our website.