MEDICINE taken by millions of people could increase the risk of catching coronavirus, scientists have warned.<\/p>\n
Certain blood pressure drugs have the potential to change the shape of a person's cells and make it easier for the bug to infect them.<\/p>\n
The pills - called angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor drugs (ACE) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB)- are used to treat diabetes or high blood pressure.<\/p>\n
Figures show the most common in England are Ramipril, Losartan, Lisinopril and Candesartan, and were prescribed almost 65 million times last year.<\/p>\n
According to a paper published in the British medical journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, the new coronavirus - named Covid-19, can latch itself onto human cells and infect them.<\/p>\n
This could cause more severe illness, according to the scientists from University Hospital Basel, in Switzerland, and the University of Thessaloniki in Greece.<\/p>\n
However the researchers have cautioned that their findings don't prove a link between the drugs and severe cases of the disease, so further studies are needed.<\/p>\n
And a doctor has strongly advised anyone on heart medications not to stop or change these without discussion with their doctor.<\/p>\n
The article claims that Covid-19 can latch onto something inside the body's cells known as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).<\/p>\n
Some people with high blood pressure or diabetes have to take medication to increase the amount of ACE2 in their cells to control their conditions.<\/p>\n
The research was carried out by looking at other studies of coronavirus patients with severe forms of the illness.<\/p>\n
They found that the most common illnesses were high blood pressure (23.7 per cent), diabetes (16.2 per cent) and heart disease (5.8 per cent).<\/p>\n
The team then studied how Covid-19 and its nearest cousin, SARS, attach to cells inside the body.<\/p>\n
They theorised that blood pressure drugs could make this process easier for these viruses.<\/p>\n
Dr Roth's team also suggested thatpeople with diabetes and high blood pressure might be more at risk because of changes in their genes which make them produce more ACE2 naturally.<\/p>\n
They wrote: \"We suggest that patients with cardiac diseases, hypertension [high blood pressure], or diabetes, who are treated with ACE2-increasing drugs, are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 infection and, therefore, should be monitored.\"<\/p>\n
Dr Michael Roth, from the University of Basel, who led the research, said:\"These data suggest that ACE2 expression is increased in diabetes and treatment with ACE inhibitors and ARBs increases ACE2 expression.<\/p>\n
We hypothesise that diabetes and high blood pressure treatment with ACE2-stimulating drugs increases the risk of developing severe and fatal Covid-19<\/p>\n
\"Consequently, the increased expression of ACE2 would facilitate infection with COVID-19.<\/p>\n
\"We therefore hypothesise that diabetes and hypertension [high blood pressure] treatment with ACE2-stimulating drugs increases the risk of developing severe and fatal Covid-19.<\/p>\n
\"If this hypothesis were to be confirmed, it could lead to a conflict regarding treatment.\"<\/p>\n
But doctors have warned that the findings were not proof of a link between the drugs and patients should continue taking their medication.<\/p>\n
He told MailOnline: \"This letter does not report the results of a study; it simply raises a possible question about whether a type of blood pressure and heart disease medication called ACE inhibitors might increase the chances of severe Covid-19 infections.<\/p>\n
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\"I strongly advise anyone on heart medications not to stop or change these without discussion with their doctor.\"<\/p>\n
He added that stopping medication and requiring hospital treatment could add further strain to the NHS.<\/p>\n
Dr Dipender Gill, who works at Imperial College NHS Trust in London added: \"Evidence is currently lacking and it is too early to make robust conclusions on any link between use of ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II type-I receptor blockers with risk or severity of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection.\"<\/p>\n
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Medicine taken by millions could increase the risk of catching coronavirus, scientists warn - The Sun<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" MEDICINE taken by millions of people could increase the risk of catching coronavirus, scientists have warned. Certain blood pressure drugs have the potential to change the shape of a person's cells and make it easier for the bug to infect them. The pills - called angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor drugs (ACE) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB)- are used to treat diabetes or high blood pressure. Continue reading