COVID-19, hypertension, and diabetes – Hunt for the link!

Abstract

The recent pandemic outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has left everyone baffled. The exponential rise in deaths worldwide, with such an extensive rapid spread, has made it a public health emergency. While the scientists at the frontier are untiringly putting their utmost efforts to come up with evidence-based pharmacological interventions, attempts have also been made to demystify the disease link with associated comorbidities and further risk prognostication. The presence of comorbidities has been documented to be associated with increased risk of developing acute respiratory diseases. Older hypertensives have been posed to be at greater risk of being affected, with associated complications and severity in grade. Diabetic and obese individuals have also been shown to be in increased risk of infections and other complications. Cytokine storm, a major complication of this disease, has also led to adverse renal outcomes. The present review aimed to probe the possible link between COVID-19 and various comorbidities.