Coronavirus: what it means for you if you have heart or circulatory disease

Updated 17 August 2020

Our medical experts answer questions about how the Covid-19 coronavirus can affect people with heart disease.

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I have a heart or circulatory condition – am I at increased risk of coronavirus?

We know that this is a frightening time for lots of people, especially if you already have a health problem. Most people with coronavirus (Covid-19) have mild symptoms and make a full recovery. Having a heart or circulatory condition probably doesn’t make you any more likely to catch coronavirus than anyone else. But if you have a heart condition it may mean that you could get more ill if you catch it, so it’s really important to protect yourself.

Anyone with a heart condition is considered at increased risk of more severe complications of Covid-19 coronavirus. If you're also over 70, you're at particularly high risk.

There are levels of higher risk, which we refer to as:

high risk

particularly high risk

at most risk (clinically extremely vulnerable, the shielding group)

If you need support to stay at home, for example with getting food, medicines or someone to talk to, call NHS Volunteer responders on 0808 196 3646 (8am to 8pm)

I have high blood pressure (or have been diagnosed with hypertension), am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

We know that a diagnosis of high blood pressure (hypertension) is linked to a higher risk of serious illness from Covid-19, and therefore you are considered at high risk. This means if you get coronavirus you are more likely to become seriously ill than someone who doesn’t have health problems.

As you have high blood pressure, it's very important you take your medication (including ACE-inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers) as prescribed, to lower your blood pressure.

You should carefully follow the advice on social distancing and hand-washing, and limit the number of face-to-face interactions you have to reduce your chance of catching the virus. Having high blood pressure on its own does not place you in the shielding category.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

Learn more about returning to work when you have a heart condition

Learn more about staying safe as lockdown eases

It seems likely that your increase in risk is relatively low if

your blood pressure is well controlled, and

it hasn’t caused your heart muscle to become thickened, and

you have no other health conditions or risk factors (such as smoking, obesity or being over 70)

Even during lockdown, there are things you can do to improve your blood pressure. Which of these things would help you?

Drink less alcohol

Quit smoking

Lose weight

Get a bit more exercise

Eat less salt

It might help to get a blood pressure monitor if you don’t have one, so you can keep an eye on your blood pressure at home.

I’ve had a heart attack – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

Anyone who has had a heart attack is at high risk from coronavirus, no matter when your heart attack was. This means if you catch coronavirus you are more likely to get seriously ill than other people who don’t have health issues.

If you’ve had surgery in the last three months (a stent being fitted is not classed as surgery, it is a procedure), or if you’re also over 70 or have other health problems, you're at particularly high risk.

You should carefully follow the advice on social distancing and hand-washing, and limit the number of face-to-face interactions you have to reduce your chance of catching the virus. Having had a heart attack does not place you in the shielding category.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

Learn more about returning to work when you have a heart condition

Learn more about staying safe as lockdown eases

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I’ve had bypass surgery, or a stent – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

If you’ve had coronary artery bypass surgery or a stent fitted (also known as an angioplasty or balloon procedure), at any time in the past, this means that you have coronary heart disease. Having coronary heart disease means you are at high risk. This means if you catch coronavirus you are more likely to get seriously ill than other people who don’t have health issues.

If you’re also over 70, or also have lung or kidney disease, or if you’ve had open heart surgery in the past three months, you’re at particularly high risk.

Whether you’re at high risk or particularly high risk, you can reduce your risk of catching coronavirus. You should carefully follow the advice on social distancing and hand-washing, and limit the number of face-to-face interactions you have to reduce your chance of catching the virus. Having had bypass surgery or a stent does not place you in the shielding category.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

Learn more about returning to work when you have a heart condition

Learn more about staying safe as lockdown eases

I have angina – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

If you have angina that is controlled by medicines, and that does not cause you frequent or severe symptoms, this is still coronary heart disease and means you’re at high risk from coronavirus. This means if you catch coronavirus you are more likely to get seriously ill than other people who don’t have health issues.

If you’re also over 70, or also have lung or kidney disease, you’re at particularly high risk.

If you have angina that limits your daily life or means you frequently have to use your GTN spray or tablets under the tongue, or is unpredictable, you are considered particularly high risk.

If you have microvascular angina (sometimes referred to as cardiac syndrome X) or coronary artery spasm (also called vasospastic angina, variant angina or Prinzmetal angina), then you have heart disease and are classed as high risk. If you’re also over 70, or also have lung or kidney disease, you’re at particularly high risk.

Whether you’re at high risk or particularly high risk, you can reduce your risk of catching coronavirus. You should carefully follow the advice on social distancing and hand-washing, and limit the number of face-to-face interactions you have to reduce your chance of catching the virus. Having angina on its own does not place you in the shielding category.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

Learn more about returning to work when you have a heart condition

Learn more about staying safe as lockdown eases

I’ve had heart surgery recently - am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

If you’ve had open heart surgery (where your breastbone is cut open) in the last three months, you’re at particularly high risk of complications from coronavirus.

You should carefully follow the advice on social distancing and hand-washing, and limit the number of face-to-face interactions you have to reduce your chance of catching the virus. Having had heart surgery does not place you in the shielding category.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

I have atrial fibrillation - am I at increased risk of coronavirus?

If you have atrial fibrillation (AF) or another heart rhythm problem, there isn’t enough information at the moment to tell if it puts you at higher risk from coronavirus complications. It seems likely that if your atrial fibrillation is well controlled (you're being treated for the condition and the treatment has lowered your heart rate towards the normal range), your risk is lower.

We’re sorry that we can’t offer you more certainty. We would recommend caution and minimising your risk of getting coronavirus as much as possible. For example, by strictly sticking to the guidance, strictly following social distancing and washing your hands frequently.

I have a pacemaker - am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

The reason that you have a pacemaker will affect whether or not you are at risk from coronavirus. There is no evidence that the virus itself infects pacemakers or ICDs, or that it causes endocarditis.

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I have diabetes – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

If you have diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2), you are considered at high risk, which means if you catch coronavirus you could get more ill than other people who don’t have a health problem.

Research looking at people who go into hospital with coronavirus has found that those with diabetes are more likely to die, although the risk of dying is still very low.

It's likely that if your diabetes is well controlled, your risk is lower than if it isn't well controlled, so it's more important than ever to control your diabetes as well as possible. Take your medication as prescribed, eat a good balance of healthy food, and exercise regularly.

If you are over 70 or have another health problem such as heart disease or kidney disease, you are considered to be at particularly high risk.

You should carefully follow the advice on social distancing and hand-washing, and limit the number of face-to-face interactions you have to reduce your chance of catching the virus. Having diabetes on its own does not place you in the shielding category.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

I have heart failure – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

If you have heart failure (including congestive heart failure) that causes symptoms such as breathlessness or tiredness, then you are classed as at high risk. This means if you catch coronavirus you are more likely to get seriously ill than other people who don’t have health issues. If you’re also over 70, or your heart failure restricts your daily life, or you've needed to see heart failure services regularly, or you’ve been admitted to hospital to treat your heart failure within the last year, then you’re at particularly high risk.

Whether you’re at high risk or particularly high risk, you can reduce your risk by carefully following the guidance on social distancing and frequent handwashing.

Having heart failure does not automatically place you in the shielding category. Your doctor or specialist will have been in touch with you if they feel that your individual circumstances mean that you should be in the shielding category.

Learn more about returning to work when you have a heart condition

Learn more about staying safe as lockdown eases

I have cardiomyopathy – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

There are many types of cardiomyopathy, including:

If you have any kind of cardiomyopathy, and it’s causing you heart failure symptoms such as breathlessness or fatigue, then you’re at high risk from coronavirus. This means if you catch coronavirus you are more likely to get seriously ill than other people who don’t have health issues. If you’re also over 70, or your heart failure restricts your daily life, or you’ve been admitted to hospital to treat your heart failure within the last year, then you’re at particularly high risk.

Having cardiomyopathy does not automatically place you in the shielding category. Your doctor or specialist will have been in touch with you if they feel that your individual circumstances mean that you should be in the shielding category.

Whether you're at high risk or particularly high risk, you can reduce your risk by carefully following the guidance on social distancing and frequent handwashing.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

I have a heart murmur – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

A heart murmur is an unusual sound heard when doctors listen to your heart. Many heart murmurs are “innocent” or harmless, and don’t mean there is anything wrong with your heart. If you have an innocent heart murmur, it does not increase your risk from coronavirus.

Sometimes, heart murmurs are caused by a problem with one of the heart valves. If you have heart valve disease (for example, a leaky or narrowed valve) you are at higher risk from coronavirus – more detail on this is below.

Get more answers about heart valve disease and coronavirus

I have heart valve disease – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

Yes, you are at high risk if you have heart valve disease (for example, a leaky or narrowed valve).

You are considered particularly high risk if your valve disease is severe and causes symptoms (such as if you regularly feel breathless, or you have symptoms from your heart valve problem despite medication), or if you are waiting for a valve repair or replacement).

You can reduce your risk by carefully following the guidance on social distancing and frequent handwashing.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

Get more answers about heart valve disease and coronavirus

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I’ve had a stroke, or vascular dementia, or small vessel disease in the brain – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

Anyone who has a problem with the blood supply in their brain is at high risk of becoming seriously ill from coronavirus, no matter how long ago. This may be called cerebrovascular disease and includes a stroke, vascular dementia, and small vessel disease in the brain. This means if you catch coronavirus you are more likely to get seriously ill than other people who don’t have health issues.

You can reduce your risk by carefully following the guidance on social distancing and frequent handwashing.

You should carry on working from home if you can, but you can go to work if your workplace is Covid-secure.

In some cases you may have been given specific advice to shield by your doctor. National advice on shielding has come to an end, unless you are in a local lockdown area.

I have an aortic aneurysm – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

If you have an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) or a thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) there is currently not enough data to know whether you are at a higher level of risk from coronavirus. We’re sorry that we can’t offer you more certainty - we know this might not be the answer you’d like. We would recommend caution and minimising your risk of getting coronavirus as much as possible.

You can reduce your risk by carefully following the guidance on social distancing and frequent handwashing.

I have congenital heart disease – am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

Read our information about coronavirus if you have congenital heart disease

I have Brugada syndrome or Long QT syndrome - am I at increased risk from coronavirus?

If you have Brugada syndrome or Long QT syndrome, the data does not currently show that you are at higher risk of coronavirus complications. If you do get coronavirus symptoms (especially a high temperature), you should call 111 and tell them about your heart condition. Let your cardiology team know too, if you can. This is because you might need extra ECGs to monitor your heart, and your heart condition may affect what treatment for Covid-19 is right for you.

It is important to try to bring your temperature down quickly by taking paracetamol, to avoid a very high temperature causing a heart rhythm problem.

Am I in the "shielding" group who are advised to stay at home?

National advice on shielding has now come to an end. This means you no longer need to shield, unless you are in a lock lockdown area. However, if the number of cases rises, those who are clinically extremely vulnerable may be asked to shield again in future.

Some heart patients are considered at extremely high risk of severe illness from coronavirus and were asked to "shield" to protect themselves. You are in the shielding group (at highest risk) if:

you have had a heart transplant at any time.

at any time. you are pregnant and have significant heart disease - defined by experts as any of the following: coronary heart disease (if you have symptoms), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (if it affects your heart function), thickening of the heart muscle (left ventricular hypertrophy) caused by high blood pressure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, a narrowed or leaking heart valve if this is moderate or severe, heart failure that affects your left ventricular function, significant congenital heart disease.

defined by experts as any of the following: coronary heart disease (if you have symptoms), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (if it affects your heart function), thickening of the heart muscle (left ventricular hypertrophy) caused by high blood pressure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, a narrowed or leaking heart valve if this is moderate or severe, heart failure that affects your left ventricular function, significant congenital heart disease. your doctor has told you that you should be shielded.

If you are in one of these groups, you were advised to protect yourself by staying at home as much as you can, and avoiding contact with people you live with.

Who else is at high risk from coronavirus?

As well as the groups above, you’re classed as at high risk from coronavirus if one of these applies to you. These mean you’re at higher risk of getting seriously ill from the disease than someone who doesn’t have a health issue – it doesn’t mean you have to stay home and not go out at all.

Over 70 years old

Pregnant

Lung disease, including asthma

Chronic kidney disease

Very obese (body mass index of 40 or over)

Covid-19 coronavirus is still a relatively new disease and we are learning more who is most at risk of complications. This list is based on the best information available from relevant experts. It's possible that other conditions could put you at risk that we don't know about yet, so it's important that everyone works hard not to catch or spread coronavirus.

Read about what puts you at risk from coronavirus.

the government's full list of people who fall into the high-risk category.

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