Nutritional recommendations for management of coronary heart disease during viral infections with an emphasis on COVID-19

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease, resulting from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which was recognized by the WHO as a pandemic in March 2020. As of June 15, 2021, over 4 million people have died from COVID-19 globally. Cases still remain in some parts of the world, like India, where less than 40% population has been vaccinated yet. Patients with comorbidities are more likely to acquire COVID-19 and experiencing poor clinical outcomes. The "heart" is one of the vital organs affected by COVID-19. Examples of major cardiovascular diseases that can compromise getting severely ill from COVID-19 include heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, and pulmonary hypertension, high blood pressure, stroke, and more. According to the current data, ischemic heart disease also known as coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the causes of more severe COVID-19 illness with greater mortality. Since COVID-19 is a novel disease based on previous experience with respiratory infections, patients with CHD should be given special attention, otherwise, it may lead to death. A cardioprotective diet and balanced nutrition which can also help in maintaining immunity are some of the essential strategies for the prevention and management of CHD patients during COVID-19 and other viral infections. Therefore, this review aimed to provide an appropriate nutritional recommendation and supplementation in the management of CHD patients during viral infections with perspectives for COVID-19 (for both who can take orally or via enteral tube feeding).