Dr. Sanah Christopher from Hawaii Pacific Health joined the COVID-19 Care Conversation to talk about the relationship between the coronavirus and the cardiovascular system.

Christopher, an interventional cardiologist at Pali Momi Medical Center, said that recent data shows a significant cardiac involvement with regards to the coronavirus. For example, coronavirus patients with pre-existing heart conditions were noted to do poorly. In addition, those who contracted coronavirus were noted having heart complications. She explained that the heart and lungs work closely together so if one is negatively impacted, it automatically puts a lot of strain on the other.

Christopher encouraged individuals to maintain regular healthcare appointments. She specifically talked about those who may be at higher risk due to undiagnosed conditions and diseases. “A lot of people have high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes. These are not conditions that will not make you feel sick right away, but over the course of time they weaken your organs,” she said. Individuals can manage these conditions and the risk of developing a more severe health problem by establishing care with a physician.

The fear of being exposed to the coronavirus has dramatically decreased patient visits at hospitals and clinics. A recent physicians survey by the Hawaii Medical Association reported a 50% or more drop in patient care. In addition, many are concerned about lower numbers of children being vaccinated for infectious diseases as state health officials reported a 46% year-over-year reduction in vaccine orders. “Routine health follow up and vaccinations should not fall to the wayside now,” Christopher said. “Vaccinations are very very important to stay on top of, particularly during this time.”

Christopher’s final message was that “we are not out of the woods yet.” As the state continues to reopen, she said this is the moment we need to continue to practice social distancing, wearing masks, and limiting the number of individuals in locations. “This is what’s going to determine, ultimately, what the second wave will look like,” she said.

Watch here and comment through our Facebook page. Join Thursday when Ikaika Hussey from Uplift Hawaii will be our guest.

Join the COVID-19 Care Conversation, live every weekday at 10:30 a.m. Yunji de Nies and Ryan Kalei Tsuji will discuss the latest news, resources and community concerns about the coronavirus outbreak in Hawaii.

The COVID-19 Care Conversation, sponsored by Hawai’i Executive Collaborative and Hawaii Pacific Health, airs live every weekday at 10:30 a.m. on the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Facebook page. Yunji de Nies and Ryan Kalei Tsuji discuss the latest news, resources and community concerns about the coronavirus outbreak in Hawaii.