Gert van der Hoek
In Memoriam - Editor, Senior Moderator
Excess weight against chest makes it harder for muscles to draw in deep breath
Weak immune system allows COVID-19 to spread to lungs and cause pneumonia
These two factors may explain why two thirds of ICU coronavirus patients obese
Almost two thirds of patients who fall seriously ill from coronavirus are obese and nearly 40 per cent are under the age of 60, an NHS audit has revealed.
Sixty-three per cent of patients in intensive care in UK hospitals because of the killer virus are overweight, obese or morbidly obese.
While the average age of people suffering the most serious symptoms of coronavirus is 64, 37 per cent are under the age of 60.
The Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre analysed all admissions to critical care units in the UK up until midnight last Thursday.
At that time, there were 194 coronavirus patients in ICU. That number is thought to have soared in the last four days.
The document provided the first in-depth look at patients who have needed round-the-clock care and boosted medics' understanding of the virus that has crippled society.
Its finding that obese people are at risk of serious complications from COVID-19 will be concerning for health bosses, as two thirds of adults in the country fall into the category.
Weak immune system allows COVID-19 to spread to lungs and cause pneumonia
These two factors may explain why two thirds of ICU coronavirus patients obese
Almost two thirds of patients who fall seriously ill from coronavirus are obese and nearly 40 per cent are under the age of 60, an NHS audit has revealed.
Sixty-three per cent of patients in intensive care in UK hospitals because of the killer virus are overweight, obese or morbidly obese.
While the average age of people suffering the most serious symptoms of coronavirus is 64, 37 per cent are under the age of 60.
The Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre analysed all admissions to critical care units in the UK up until midnight last Thursday.
At that time, there were 194 coronavirus patients in ICU. That number is thought to have soared in the last four days.
The document provided the first in-depth look at patients who have needed round-the-clock care and boosted medics' understanding of the virus that has crippled society.
Its finding that obese people are at risk of serious complications from COVID-19 will be concerning for health bosses, as two thirds of adults in the country fall into the category.