Cardiology, respiratory failure, and tolerance of hypoxia in the context of COVID-19: a multidisciplinary perspective

Abstract

After reading with great interest the article entitled: “Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on provision of cardiology services: a scoping review” redacted by Farah Yasmin et al., published by Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine, we would like to add the following thoughts. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and pulmonary insufficiency reduces blood oxygen saturation and results in hypoxia. Therefore, the determining factor in the survival of patients with COVID-19 is their resistance to hypoxia. At the same time, it is the cardiovascular system that is an important and very sensitive link in the human adaptation to hypoxia. That is why it is necessary to carefully study the relationship between diseases of the heart, blood vessels, the reactivity of the cardiovascular system to hypoxia, and mortality in patients who develop ARDS with COVID-19.

Keywords

• hypoxia
• resistance
• adaptation
• acrocyanosis
• fingertips
• local hypothermia
• infrared imaging