Heart Failure and Coronavirus Disease-19

Abstract

Globally, 4.2% population suffer from heart failure. The condition has a mortality rate between 56% and 78%. Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) was first reported in December 2019 and became a pandemic since March 11, 2020. As COVID-19 emerges, cardiovascular disorders including, heart failure, become one of the most common comorbidity that increase the risk for contracting the disease. Heart failure and COVID-19 have reciprocal relationship. Patients with heart failure are at higher risk for COVID-19 with more unfavorable outcome. COVID-19 itself may deteriorate pre-existing heart failure in the subject. This situation is mediated by the presence of angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) in cardiac myocytes and pericytes, direct effect of viral invasion to myocytes and pericytes, downregulation of ACE-2 which hampers cardiovascular function, and uncontrolled inflammation known as cytokine storm. Prudent management, including implementation of telemedicine, continuation of ACE inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker, and medications’ side effects monitoring, is important in managing patients with coexisting heart failure and COVID-19.

Effect of nickel doping concentration on the morphological and structural properties of titanium dioxide nanoparticles

“…Several approaches have been employed to improve the electron transport and prevent charge recombination such as doping TiO 2 with metals or non-metals, modifying the morphology of the TiO 2 , coupling the TiO 2 with another semiconductor, and adding with carbonaceous materials [1][2][3]. Among these approaches, doping with transition metals is the most promising selection since it may introduce acceptor/ donor levels in the wide forbidden band of TiO 2 , which would help to decrease the band gap and improve the photocatalyst's response to visible light [4].…”

“…There are several methods used to synthesis metal doped TiO 2 such as using sol-gel [3,4,6,10,11], hydrothermal [12], and flame spray pyrolysis [4], and anodizing [8,13]. Among various methods, the sol-gel method has been the most widely used because of the low-cost process with high homogeneity, purity, controllability, and reliability [14].…”