The World Heart Federation (WHF) reported on Tuesday the launch of a global study on cardiovascular disease and COVID-19 to better understand the outcomes and risk factors in COVID hospitalized patients and cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

WHF has launched a series of debates focused on how to unlock behavioural and societal change to beat CVD, which kills 17.9m people every year.

The federation added that the people with COVID-19 and heart disease are among those with the highest risk of death and severe complications. The heart might be adversely affected by the virus even in people without pre-existing conditions and the fear of the virus has led to a sharp decline in hospital visits by heart patients for routine and emergency care.

CVD is reportedly caused by smoking, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and air pollution and hence it is vital for governments and communities to regulate and make access to healthcare, healthy foods and a healthy way of life accessible and affordable to all people.