The Covid19 pandemic has gripped the entire world for most of 2020. Now, researchers have found that the virus also leads to blood clots in an estimated 30% of critically ill patients.

What are blood clots?

Blood clots are little clumps of blood that form in the blood vessels in your body due to several reasons: injuries, poor blood flow, increased cholesterol, etc. Sitting for a long time, coupled with a lack of exercise, can lead to blood clots in your legs.

Blood clots that form in the veins are called venous clots and do not go away on their own. Sometimes these blood clots travel to the heart and lungs and stop the blood flow. This can lead to life-threatening conditions like pulmonary embolism, a stroke or a heart attack.

Covid19 & blood clots

The presence of blood clots increases the risk of complications and chances of death in Covid19 patients. People who are overweight, have high blood sugar, or high blood pressure face higher risks of blood clots if they contract Covid19.

Researchers found DVT present in almost 60% of people who died due to Covid19. Similarly, blood clots in the arteries (arterial blood clots) have caused heart damage to 27.8% of 187 Covid19 patients studied in Wuhan, China.

Preventive measures

Blood clots due to Covid19 and their dangers are more likely to affect older people. But a preliminary observational study found that younger, healthier, and even asymptomatic Covid19 patients displayed an increased risk for strokes.

Ensuring that your blood flow, heart, and lungs are in good shape can help you combat the effects of the Covid19 virus. With a second wave sweeping the globe, here are some preventive measures you can take:

Regular walking: Blood clots often form in your lower legs due to excessive sitting. Daily 30-minute brisk walks and walking intermittently throughout the day can reduce the formation of blood clots by improving blood flow.

Lifestyle changes: Reducing alcohol and tobacco intake, maintaining healthy body weight, and an active lifestyle can improve your chances of beating Covid19 without experiencing the damage blood clots can cause.

As researchers are still studying how and why Covid19 affects and worsens blood clots, we do not know the exact causes for the increase in strokes in young and healthy people in particular. But since most individuals lead a sedentary lifestyle with minimal activity, they are at a high risk of developing venous clots anyway.

If unable to walk or exercise regularly, choose a device like the SitWalker. It exercises the same lower leg muscles used during walking and keeps the blood flowing smoothly. The SitWalker also helps avoid blood stagnation in the legs, which directly reduces the probability in the formation of blood clots.

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