COVID-19 is quickly moving into the list of leading causes of death in the United States, Eduardo Sanchez, M.D., M.P.H., AHA chief medical officer for prevention, said during a virtual expert Q&A held yesterday by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
Dr. Sanchez estimates that COVID-19 is likely the #9 cause of death in the United States, behind influenza/pneumonia at #8 and ahead of kidney-related diseases at #10. The AHA notes that cardiovascular disease still remains the leading cause of death in the United States. Dr. Sanchez's numbers are based on estimates and do not reflect official data.
"As it relates to COVID-19, we should all be doing all the things that we've been advised to do. Washing our hands, keeping our hands away from our face when we're out and about," Dr. Sanchez said. "If you've got a cardiovascular disease or any of the risk factors, treating them as recommended is critically important. I would say the extent to which you can avoid people, you should if you have an underlying cardiovascular disease."