AND GOOD EVENING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING OFFLINE HERE ON PBS'S FORT WAYNE.

I'M YOUR HOST MARK EVANS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT AND VERY TOPICAL THESE DAYS COVID AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.

AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL GUEST WHO'S ACTUALLY A VETERAN GUEST ON OUR SHOW, DR. ROY ROBERTSON WHO IS A CARDIOLOGIST.

DR. ROY, GREAT TO SEE YOU TONIGHT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

VIRTUALLY FROM YOUR OFFICE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S NICE TO BE HERE.

AND I WANT TO REMIND OUR VIEWERS THAT EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE VIRTUAL AND WE'RE OF COURSE WE'RE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING FOR SURE BUT OUR CALLERS WILL BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOU SO WE'RE GOING TO OPEN THOSE PHONE LINES FOR THEM TO ADDRESS THEIR QUESTIONS AND THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT COVID AND THE CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND THE PHONE NUMBER IS ON THE SCREEN EIGHT SIX SIX NINE SIX NINE TWO SEVEN TWO ZERO FOR LONG DISTANCE LOCALLY NINE SIX NINE TWO SEVEN TWO ZERO.

AND OF COURSE WE'LL BE TAKING YOUR CALLS FOR THE NEXT HALF AN HOUR.

IT IS PUBLIC TELEVISION.

WE WON'T BE STOPPING DOWN FOR ANY COMMERCIALS.

DR. ROBERTSON COVID-19 IS IT'S A VIRUS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE MORE THE SIMPLER VIRUSES.

AS I KNOW FROM MY EXPERIENCE I HAD A GRANDMOTHER WHO ACTUALLY PASSED AWAY BECAUSE THE VIRUS OF A HEART OF THE HEART AND THAT WAS BACK IN THE 80S AND OF COURSE WE'VE COME A LONG WAY.

BUT HOW COMMON ARE VIRUSES OF THE HEART AND WHAT KIND OF VIRUSES ATTACK THE HEART BESIDES COLD IT?

WELL, THAT'S A FASCINATING QUESTION IN OUR SOCIETY AND IN OUR ENVIRONMENT THEIR VIRUSES ARE UBIQUITOUS MEANING THEY'RE EVERYWHERE.

THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF VIRUSES AND MANY OF THOSE HAVE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SOME INTERACTION WITH OUR BODY WHICH IS ADVERSE AND LEADING TO HEALTH IMPLICATIONS FROM A CARDIOVASCULAR STANDPOINT THERE PROBABLY A LIST OF ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MAJOR VIRUSES THAT WE SEE FREQUENTLY CIRCULATE THROUGH OUR SOCIETY THAT CAN AFFECT THE HEART.

AND AS YOU SAY, IT CAN SOMETIMES AFFECT THE HEART MUSCLE CAUSING THE HEART MUSCLE NOT TO FUNCTION APPROPRIATELY AND FULLY AND SOME OF THAT IS DIRECTLY BECAUSE THE VIRUS ACTUALLY INFECTS THE HEART AND SOME OF THAT IS OUR BODIES RESPOND TO THAT VIRUS.

IN OTHER WORDS, OUR IMMUNE RESPONSE.

AND I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY WITH COVID IS VERY MUCH THAT COMMON ASIAN SUCH THAT COVID-19 IS AN EFFECTIVE AGENT WHICH CAN MAKE US ILL JUST BECAUSE OF THAT FACT THAT IT INFECTS OUR CELLS AND CAUSES US TO BE ILL.

BUT IT'S COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT OUR BODIES HAVE A PRETTY BIG CALLING IN DEALING WITH SOMETHING.

IT'S NEVER SEEN BEFORE AND THAT IMMUNE RESPONSE, THAT ENERGY THAT A BODY PUTS INTO FIGHTING THAT INFECTION SOME CAN SOMETIMES BECOME UNREGULATED AND SUBSEQUENTLY EVEN CAUSE ORGAN DAMAGE WITHIN OUR BODIES INCLUSIVE OF THE HEART, THE VASCULAR TREE, THE BRAIN AND OTHER AREAS THAT WE SEE THAT JUST BASED ON OUR IMMUNE RESPONSE AND I THINK IN SOME WAY I'M SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

OH NO, NO, NO.

GO AHEAD.

I THINK YOU'RE ON WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT.

GO AHEAD.

NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY IN SOME WAYS THAT THAT KIND OF LEADS US TO THE DISCREPANCY IN WHAT WE SEE AS FAR AS HOW PEOPLE RESPOND TO HAVING GETTING THE VIRUS.

WHAT WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DO VERY POORLY AND MOST COMMONLY THAT'S BECAUSE OF THEIR OWN BODY'S IMMUNE RESPONSE.

SO WE HAVE YOUNG PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL THAT DIE OF CARDIOVASCULAR COMPLICATIONS FROM COVID.

WE ALSO HAVE ELDERLY PATIENTS THAT DIE FROM CORBITT AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S A CERTAINLY A RISK FACTOR.

I THINK THAT LATTER GROUP IT'S MORE RELATED TO THE INFECTION ITSELF RATHER THAN THE IMMUNE RESPONSE BECAUSE AS WE GET OLDER OUR IMMUNE RESPONSE KIND OF CHANGES AND DIMINISHES AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS.

OK, WELL THAT MAKES SENSE.

SO THE COVID-19 VIRUS IS DOES IT TREAT THE HEART ANY DIFFERENTLY THAN ANY OTHER VIRUS?

I MEAN DOES IT STAND ALONE WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT IT DOES TO AFFECT THE HEART?

WELL, IF I TAKE A BROAD BRUSH AND SAY CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE MEANING HEART BLOOD VESSELS AND CIRCULATORY ORGANS IN OUR BODY, THE VIRUS DOES TREAT US JUST A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY AND IN PART BECAUSE IT'S A NOVEL VIRUS.

WE'VE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE AND OUR BODIES HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE.

SO THEREFORE WHAT HAPPENS SETS UP THIS INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE.

SO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE SEEING A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN REGARD TO PEOPLE GETTING ACUTELY ILL SICK IN A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FRAME AND THEN HAVING A POOR OUTCOME IS RELATED IN MANY WAYS TO THIS IMMUNE RESPONSE THAT IT DEVELOPS AND IT'S ALL AN INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE.

SO MUCH LIKE ARTHRITIS IS AN INFLAMMATORY PROBLEM, CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE FOR THE MOST PART IS AN INFLAMMATORY PROBLEM AND THAT'S WHERE WE SEE INFLAMMATION IN THE HEART MUSCLE AND THEREFORE A WEAK HEART MUSCLE.

WE SEE DRAMATIC INFLAMMATION SOMETIMES IN THE LUNGS REQUIRING VENTILATION OR SUPPORT WITH OXYGEN WE SEE INFLAMMATION IN THE BLOOD VESSELS WHICH THEN SOMETIMES NOT EVEN DURING THE INFECTION BUT POST INFECTION CAN CAUSE THINGS LIKE STROKE, BLOOD CLOTS IN THE LEGS AND THINGS LIKE THIS.

SO IT SETS UP AN IMMUNE RESPONSE WHICH IS VERY INFLAMMATORY AND DESCRIPTION SOUNDS LIKE SERIOUS STUFF THERE.

WELL, LISTEN, WE HAVE A CALLER COLIN IS ON THE LINE AND COLIN WOULD LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION.

SO COLIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR CALLING.

GO AHEAD.

HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT, DOCTOR?

I'M GREAT.

THANK YOU.

THANKS FOR CALLING IN.

GOOD.

OK.

I HAVE THREE OR FOUR THINGS I WANT TO BRING UP BRIEFLY THEN I'LL JUST HANG UP AND YOU CAN DISCUSS THEM VERSUS TRY TO GET INTO A DIALOG WHICH MIGHT GET SOMEWHAT LENGTHY AND PROBABLY PROHIBIT OTHER CALLERS FROM CALLING IN.

I KNOW THERE'S DEFINITELY A HOT TOPIC FOR WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

ONE, I'M A YOUTH MAYBE 40 TO 50 THAT'S STILL SOMEWHAT YOUNG TO ME ANYWAYS I WAS REFEREEING SOME BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS LAST SPRING AS THE COVID STARTED.

THEN I WE ALL GOT LOCKED DOWN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER HIT SEEMED LIKE EVERYTHING WENT SO TO SPEAK BUCKWILD I STILL KEPT REFEREEING EVENTS AT PARKS AND STUFF.

NO ONE WORE MASKS.

I ALWAYS DID AND I ENDED UP CATCHING THE COVID THIS NOVEMBER FOUR DAYS I DID A STAY IN THE HOSPITAL I'M ON TO INDIRECTLY TRY TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE ORIGIN OF THE VIRUS MAYBE CAME FROM ITSELF NOT POINTING AT CHINA OR AFRICA OR ANYTHING BUT IF YOU COULD GIVE A LITTLE IDEA ON THAT.

THE OTHER THING IS ONCE I GOT TO THE HOSPITAL THEY OFFERED ME TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF MEDICATION.

ONE WAS REHM'S DENVIR OR SOMETHING WHICH I TURNED DOWN.

THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE RESULTS OF IT COMPLETELY OUT THERE.

THE DECADRON I ACCEPTED WHICH SEEMED TO CLEAR MY SYSTEM UP SOMEWHAT WHICH I WAS REALLY IMPRESSED WITH.

THEY GAVE ME SEVEN TABLETS.

I TOOK THEM HOME ONE NIGHT EACH NIGHT AND IT CLEARED THE WHOLE THING UP.

I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO CONTINUE THE EXERCISE AND WHEN TYPE OF BREATHING I HAD BEFORE I WENT IN AFTER I GOT OUT SO I SLOWLY STARTED EXERCISING.

MAYBE YOU COULD GIVE SOME IDEAS ON EXERCISE AND THEN I STILL FEEL LIKE I HAVE SOME TYPE OF LIKE A SHORT TERM ALMOST MEMORY LOSS FROM THIS WHOLE SITUATION.

I FEEL I'VE SAID ENOUGH I'LL JUST TURN THE VOLUME BACK UP AND LISTEN TO YOU.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME DOCTOR.

THANK YOU FOR CALLING COLLIN VERY THOUGHTFUL QUESTIONS.

YEAH, THAT WAS THAT WAS FABULOUS.

SO A LOT THERE TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT.

FIRST OF ALL THIS STRAIN OF THIS VIRUS IS KNOWN TO HAVE EXISTED IN OTHER PRIMATES AND HAS IS KIND OF AN EXTENSION OF SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN FAMILIAR WITH IN THE HUMAN BODY AND IN HUMAN CIRCULATION.

BUT IT'S COMPLETELY UNIQUE I THINK THE ORIGIN OF IT HE SPOKE OF BEING OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES IS VERY ACCURATE.

THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND THE VIRUS THERE ARE A LITTLE LESS CLEAR IN REGARD TO A CONTRACTING THE VIRUS WHEN THINGS TAKE OFF.

I WAS MAKING A COMMENT BEFORE THE SHOW AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE CAN TRACK THE VIRUS AND HOW WE CAN PREVENT GETTING THE VIRUS WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST THREE HUNDRED HOSPITAL WORKERS IN OUR SYSTEM THAT BECAME COVID POSITIVE THERE WERE ONLY THREE OR FOUR OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN WHICH THE CONTACT OR THE THE CLEAR RELATION BETWEEN A EXPOSURE AND DEVELOPING THE ILLNESS OCCURRED IN THE HOSPITAL.

THE REST OF THOSE ALL OCCURRED OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL.

AND WHY IS THAT IMPORTANT?

WELL, IT POINTS OUT THAT MASKING AND SELF-PROTECTION ARE AND DISTANCING ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WHEN WE GO TO WORK EVERY DAY WE'RE MEETING PEOPLE EVERY SINGLE DAY THAT HAVE COVID-19 AND THAT'S A VERY FEW NUMBER OF PEOPLE OUT OF THE TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE THAT HAVE CONTRACTED THAT ILLNESS IN THAT PERIOD OF TIME.

SO WHAT IT SHOWS YOU IS THAT IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT BUT IT'S THE DROPLETS.

IT'S IT'S THE AIR ITSELF.

IT'S DIRECT CONTACT IN THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE SHEDDING THE VIRUS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO GET A VIRUS IS IT GETS INTO YOUR RESPIRATORY TRACT AND YOUR NASAL TRACT AND IT IS IN YOUR BODILY FLUIDS.

SO IT'S VERY EASILY FOR YOU TO PASS THAT ARE AEROSOLIZED THAT INTO THE ATMOSPHERE AND THEN AS AN INDIVIDUAL BREATHE THAT AND GET COVID-19 IN SPEAKING TO LIKE ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS HE MENTIONED AS WELL AS TREATMENT.

SO LET ME MAKE JUST A COUPLE OF COMMENTS ABOUT TREATMENT TREATMENT FOR COVID-19 IS VERY INTERESTING AND THE TREATMENT THAT HE CHOSE TO ACCEPT IS IN FACT A HIGH DOSE STEROIDS AND THAT HIGH DOSE STEROID IS MEANT TO ADDRESS INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER.

THE BODY'S RESPONSE TO THE VIRUS.

IT REALLY DOESN'T DO ANYTHING TO KILL THE VIRUS.

IT DOESN'T SLOW THE VIRUS.

IT'S ACTUALLY SEDATES THE BODY'S RESPONSE WHICH MAY BE AN OVER ZEALOUS RESPONSE TO THIS VIRUS AND SO THEN HELPS YOU TO KIND OF GEAR THINGS BACK MUCH LIKE A GOVERNOR CAP ON A GOLF CART TO LIMIT THE SPEED.

IT KIND OF SLOWS THINGS DOWN.

LET YOUR BODY CATCH UP.

AND SO I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF THAT.

THE OTHER THING THAT I GUESS HE MENTIONED WAS AFTER HAVING THIS HE FEELS A BIT FOGGY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE SEEING WITH THIS VIRUS AS WELL IS POST INFECTIOUS PROBLEMS SUCH AS BLOOD CLOTTING IN THE LEGS, SMALL STROKES IN THE BRAIN, MENTAL FOGGINESS IS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE ISSUES PERSISTENT GI UPSET IS ONE OF THOSE ELEVATED LIVER TESTS.

AND AGAIN, I THINK THIS IS JUST COULD BE EITHER THE RESIDUAL OF THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE OR ALSO COULD BE HARBORING SOME OF THE VIRUS THAT'S NOT COMPLETELY YET CLEAR.

SO IT'S INTERESTING AS WE GO THROUGH THIS WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW WE'RE GOING TO RESPOND INITIALLY WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG OUR ANTIBODIES ARE GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE.

WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE MAY BE AT RISK FOR POST INFECTIOUS ISSUES.

BUT I'M THANKFUL THAT HE'S RECOVERED SO NICELY.

SOUNDS LIKE HE'S A STRONG GUY AND HE'S OUT THERE DOING HIS THING.

SO I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.

ABSOLUTELY AND ADDRESS THE MEMORY LOSS.

HE WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT EXERCISE BECAUSE OF COURSE BEING I THINK HE SAID HE IS A REFEREE OF SOME SORT.

IS IT IS IT NECESSARY?

I DON'T KNOW.

WHAT WAS HIS QUESTION ABOUT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS INTRIGUING.

DO YOU REMEMBER THAT?

IT'S A VERY INTERESTING QUESTION.

SO HE'S GOING TO BE ASKING WHAT DO I DO?

CAN I GET BACK EXERCISING?

HOW CAN I DO THAT?

SO CLEARLY OVER 90 PERCENT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE WITH RUN THE COURSE THEY KIND OF KNOW WHEN THEY FEEL BETTER AND THEY CAN GET BACK TO EXERCISING AND DOING THINGS WE ALWAYS RECOMMEND THAT THEY START SLOWLY AND THAT YOU GIVE YOURSELF AT LEAST 14 DAYS AFTER THE CLEARANCE OF SYMPTOMS BEFORE YOU GO BACK AND START TO EXERCISE.

THERE ARE THOSE INDIVIDUALS, HOWEVER, THAT HAVE SYMPTOMS OF PROLONGED FATIGUE DYSPNEA MEANING SHORTNESS OF BREATH OR DIFFICULTY BREATHING DURING ACTIVITY THOSE KIND OF THINGS IN WHICH WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY UNDERGO A BRIEF BUT SOMEWHAT THOROUGH CARDIOVASCULAR EXAMINATION TO ASSURE THERE'S BEEN NO DIRECT HEART IMPACT IT WOULD PUT THEM AT RISK IF THEY WERE TO INITIATE RE EXERCISING ONCE AGAIN.

MOST PEOPLE HOWEVER UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY FEEL WELL AND IF YOU FOLLOW THE RULE OF THUMB TO THINK NO FEVER, NO SYMPTOMS I WAIT TWO WEEKS AND I CAN GET BACK, START SLOWLY AND WORK BACK TO WHERE I WHERE I WAS PRIOR.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GOOD RULE OF THUMB.

OK, VERY GOOD.

SEEMS TO BE A HOT TOPIC TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING TO DR. ROY ROBERTSON WHO IS A CARDIOLOGIST.

OUR TOPIC COVID AND CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND WE HAVE ANOTHER CALL LINED UP READY TO GO JOE'S ON LINE FOR JOE.

GO AHEAD WITH YOUR QUESTION PLEASE.

DOCTOR, HOW ARE YOU TONIGHT?

FINE, THANK YOU.

I'M JUST GETTING OVER COVID VERY FORTUNATE THAT I HAD VERY MINOR SYMPTOMS BASED ON A FEW HEALTH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS.

I HAVE.

BUT I WANT TO KNOW I'VE SEEN SOME CONFLICTING INFORMATION.

I GOT THE BAMN TREATMENT THE FIRST DAY I WAS DIAGNOSED IN INFUSION AT THE HOSPITAL AND I'M WONDERING HOW HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO WAIT TO GET A VACCINE SINCE I DO HAVE THIS?

YES.

SO HE'S SPEAKING THERE IS A SPECIFIC TREATMENT FOR VIRAL INFECTIONS THAT WE USE IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE.

SO I MENTIONED EARLIER THE STEROIDS ADDRESSING THE INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE IN THE BODY.

THERE ARE ALSO OTHER MEDICINES THAT BASICALLY AGAIN IN A DIFFERENT WAY ADDRESS THAT AND THEN THERE'S MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY THERAPY MEANING THESE ARE ANTIBODIES THAT ARE INJECTED INTO THE BODY TO ADDRESS THE INFECTIOUS AGENT MORE DIRECTLY AND THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT HE'S SPEAKING OF AND THOSE TO HELP TO CLEAR OUT THE BODY OUT TO CLEAR WHAT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE THIS VIRUS IS THE VIRUS ACTS AS AN ANTIGEN MEANING IT IS A FOREIGN BODY AND THEN YOU CREATE ANTIBODIES TO TRY TO COVER THAT AND ENVELOP IT, TAKE IT TO A CELL THAT WHICH THEN EATS IT AND THEN DESTROYS IT SO THAT IT DOESN'T CONTINUE TO DESTROY CELLS IN YOUR BODY.

AND WE HAVE ANTIBODY MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES THAT WE CAN INJECT.

SO WE DO OFTENTIMES RECOMMEND THAT WE HAVE A PERIOD OF TIME AFTER THAT BEFORE THE VACCINE OCCURS.

THAT'S TYPICALLY AROUND 30 DAYS.

I DON'T THINK YOU HAVE TO WAIT A WHOLE LOT LONGER THAN THAT AT MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY DOES NOT HAVE A LONG PROLONGED EFFECT.

IT'S MORE OF AN ACUTE EFFECT SO TO SPEAK.

SO WE DO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE HOWEVER TO MOVE ON TO GETTING THE VACCINE.

I THINK THAT'S A WONDERFUL POINT TO BRING UP AS WELL AT THIS POINT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF YOU WERE TO GET IF YOU LOOK AT SAY IF YOU COMPARE INFLUENZA WHICH IS A VIRUS TO COVID-19 INFLUENZA WILL IT CAUSE DEATH IN APPROXIMATELY THIRTY FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES EVERY YEAR AS IT TRAVELS THROUGH THE UNITED STATES AND WE VACCINATE PEOPLE AND THAT HELPS OUR VACCINE FOR THE INFLUENZA VIRUS IS NOT NEARLY AS SPECIFIC AS THE VACCINE WE HAVE NOW FOR COVID-19 WHICH IS CLEARLY AN UPGRADE.

BUT COVID-19, AS YOU CAN SEE HAS KILLED HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.

SO IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE BECOME VACCINATED AND THAT VACCINE ACTUALLY ACTS TO ALLOW YOUR CELLS TO PRODUCE THE PROTEINS THAT WOULD MIMIC THE VIRUS AND THEN CREATE MEMORY TO YOUR BODY SO THAT IF YOU SEE IT AGAIN IT'S MUCH EASIER TO FIGHT THAT INFECTION.

OK, OUR TELEPHONE NUMBER IS EIGHT SIX SIX NINE SIX NINE TWO SEVEN TO ZERO OR LOCALLY IT'S JUST NINE SIX NINE TO SEVEN TO ZERO.

DR. ROBERTSON IS ANSWERING QUESTIONS.

IN FACT, DR. ROBERTSON, WE HAVE ON LINE ONE MAUREEN WITH A VERY INTERESTING QUESTION.

GO AHEAD, MAUREEN.

HEY, THIS IS MAUREEN AND I'M ASKING YOU THIS QUESTION BECAUSE I HAVE A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM AND I I HAVE PULMONARY HYPERTENSION AND ALSO AND I WAS WONDERING I HAD A NURSE FRIEND THAT SHE TAKES VITAMIN C A COMBINATION OF VITAMIN C AND ZINC AND VITAMIN D THREE AND I THINK I'M NOT SURE WHY SHE DOES THAT.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S LIKE TO BUILD UP HER SYSTEM BUT HAVE YOU HEARD OF THAT AND IS THAT SOMETHING THAT THAT PEOPLE CAN TAKE JUST TO BUILD UP THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEM SO THAT IF THEY DID GET COVERED MAYBE THEY WOULDN'T GET IT SO BADLY?

WELL, THAT'S THAT'S A FABULOUS QUESTION BECAUSE OVER THE COUNTER SUPPLEMENTS ARE IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

SO I COULD START WITH THE CONCEPT OF VITAMIN C BAYAMON C IS GREAT FOR OUR BODIES.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SPECIFIC INFORMATION REGARDING VITAMIN C AND PROTECTION AGAINST VIRAL INFECTIONS.

I DO THINK THAT SOME PEOPLE DO FEEL BETTER WITH SUPPLEMENTAL VITAMIN C THE MAJORITY VITAMIN C THAT WE TAKE IN SUPPLEMENTS IS LOST IN THE URINE QUITE FRANKLY.

BUT THERE BUT THERE THERE IT DOES HAVE AN ANTI INFLAMMATORY OF OTHER EFFECTS THAT SOME PEOPLE TOUT AS POTENTIALLY HELPFUL.

IT CERTAINLY WILL NOT HURT YOU .

THE SECOND WAS ZINC.

OFTENTIMES YOU SEE ZINC IN SOME OF THE COLD REMEDIES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

IT HAS SOME STABILIZING PROPERTIES FOR THE MEMBRANE OR THE WALL OF OUR CELLS IN OUR BODY CAN SOMETIMES IN CERTAIN PEOPLE BE HELPFUL AND AND AND THOSE KIND OF THINGS.

THE DIRECT EVIDENCE AGAIN FOR COVID-19 WOULD BE LESS THAN AVAILABLE VITAMIN D I THINK WE'RE GETTING INTO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE CONCRETE THERE.

IT DOES APPEAR THAT PEOPLE WITH VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY MAY HAVE A LITTLE HIGHER EXPOSURE RISK.

THERE'S A LOT OF REASONS FOR THAT.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO INTO THIS EVENING BUT VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION I THINK I WOULD SOMEWHAT ENCOURAGE I WOULD SAY THAT IN IN INDIANA PARTICULARLY NORTHERN INDIANA WE HAVE A LOT OF RISK.

WE DON'T SEE THE SUN A GREAT DEAL AND I THINK THERE ARE A FAIR NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY THAT ARE IN FACT VITAMIN D DEFICIENT.

THAT'S AN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

BUT I DO THINK THAT IT MAY BE HELPFUL IN THE VIRAL PANDEMIC THAT WE'RE TALKING THAT WE'RE IN CURRENTLY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PHONE CALL.

LET'S GO TO LINE TO WITH ROSANO .

YEAH, I HAD A QUESTION LIKE WITH A HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE CAN SEND PEOPLE LIKE ON THE RIGHT PEOPLE CAN CAN THEY ALSO HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND IF THEY DO WHAT IS USUALLY THE CAUSE CERTAINLY THAT'S ANOTHER GREAT QUESTION.

SO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE OR HYPERTENSION IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS IN THE UNITED STATES FROM A HEALTH PERSPECTIVE AND IT CAUSES SECONDARILY MANY OTHER PROBLEMS HEART ATTACK, STROKE, HARDENING OF THE ARTERIES, MANY THINGS.

SO IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO MONITOR THAT NOW IT IS TRUE THAT IN CERTAIN PEOPLE THAT ARE OVERWEIGHT THAT HYPERTENSION CAN BE MORE COMMON BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY AS YOU CAN ASSUME THAT YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE HYPERTENSION OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IF YOU'RE OVERWEIGHT.

LIKEWISE, BEING SLENDER DOES NOT PREVENT YOU FROM HAVING HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF THE TIME HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE OR HYPERTENSION IS OF UNKNOWN CAUSE AND WE CALL ESSENTIAL HYPERTENSION MEANING THAT YOUR ORGANS ARE ESSENTIALLY FUNCTIONING NORMALLY.

THERE'S NOT A ENDOCRINE OR THYROID TYPE OF ISSUE BUT PRIMARILY IT IS OUR DIET, OUR ACTIVITY AND FAMILY HISTORY IN THOSE PARTICULAR PEOPLE AND THAT EXCLUDES THE BIGGIE WHICH IS SMOKING.

AND IF YOU SMOKE OR TAKE TOBACCO, YOUR RISK OF HYPERTENSION GO UP DRAMATICALLY SO YOU CAN HAVE IT WHEN YOU'RE THIN.

AND DR. ROBERTSON, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE PUTS YOU IN A HIGH RISK CATEGORY FOR COVID, DOESN'T IT?

HYPERTENSION IS ONE OF THE RISK FACTORS SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT THE RISK FACTORS OF COMORBIDITIES THAT THEY TALK ABOUT THAT BEING THINGS LIKE DIABETES HIGH CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE, WE KIND OF CLUMP THOSE IN NOW HYPERTENSION IT'S BY ITSELF SOMEONE WHO HAS HYPERTENSION ISOLATED.

I THINK THAT YOU COULD MAKE AN ARGUMENT THAT THAT IN PARTICULAR ISN'T AN ISOLATED ACCELERANT TO THE RISK ASSOCIATED WITH COVID-19.

THE THING ABOUT HYPERTENSION OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE IS THAT IT OCCURS WITH MANY OF THESE OTHER COMORBIDITIES.

PEOPLE HAVE HAD HEART ATTACKS FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL AND VASCULAR DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT OR HAVE KARATA DISEASE IN THEIR NECK AND HAVE HAD STROKES.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS SET YOU UP TO BE NOT AS NOT AS READILY SUCCESSFUL IN FIGHTING OFF THE VIRUS.

SO I OFTENTIMES INCLUDE THAT I THINK IN ISOLATION IN A YOUNG PERSON I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT I WOULD SAY I WOULD BE CAUTIOUS TO SAY THAT THAT IN ISOLATION IS A RISK FACTOR ITSELF.

OK, I THINK WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE QUESTION ON LINE THREE WE HAVE MIKE MIKE, GO AHEAD.

HI, GOOD EVENING.

THANKS FOR TAKING MY CALL.

YOU BET.

MY QUESTION IS A COUPLE OF OTHER SHOWS SIMILAR TO THIS MAYBE ON RADIO I'VE HEARD THAT FOR COVID AND FOR THE DVD AND STROKES AND OTHER THINGS THAT LOW DOSE ASPIRIN IS A PROPHYLACTIC IN REGARDS TO COVID WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON THAT FROM A CARDIOLOGY STANDPOINT IF THAT MAKES MUCH SENSE OR NOT ASSUMING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER DRUG INTERACTIONS OR ANYTHING, IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

SO THAT'S AN EXTRA REALLY INSIGHTFUL QUESTION.

ONE THAT CARDIOLOGIST NOW ARE STRUGGLING WITH AND I HAVE SOME INSIGHT THAT I CAN SHARE ON THE AIR HERE THAT HAS NOT EVEN BEEN HAVEN'T BEEN PUBLISHED YET THAT I KNOW IS GOING TO BE PUBLISHED SOON AND THAT IS THAT THERE IS A RECENT STUDY BY ONE OF THE MAJOR CARDIOVASCULAR CENTERS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT LOOKED AT THIS VERY ISSUE.

AND THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT BECAUSE THE VIRUS IS PRO INFLAMMATORY BECAUSE PRO INFLAMMATORY STATES CAUSE BLOOD CLOTTING ISSUES, IS IT BENEFICIAL TO TAKE ASPIRIN OR FOR THAT MATTER A NONSTEROIDAL ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS SUCH AS IBUPROFEN TO PREVENT THESE ISSUES LIKE MINOR STROKE OR HEART ATTACK THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WHICH ARE BLOOD VESSEL OR BLOOD CLOTTING RELATED AND IT TURNS OUT THAT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT ASPIRIN BY ITSELF IS PROTECTIVE FOR THOSE THINGS AND THAT WE MAY HAVE TO MOVE MORE TOWARD ANTICOAGULATION THAT BEING BLOOD THINNING MEDICATIONS INSTEAD OF NOT THE ASPIRIN IS A ANTI STICKY TYPE OF MEDICATION FOR PLATELETS.

WE WOULD NEED TO MOVE MAYBE TO A MORE BLOOD THINNING TYPE OF MEDICATION.

BUT THOSE STUDIES ARE ONGOING.

THERE'S LOTS OF INTEREST IN THAT RIGHT AT THE MOMENT.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, YOU KNOW SO MANY QUESTIONS AND SO LITTLE TIME.

BUT AS WE WRAP UP, HOW ABOUT SOME COMMENTS AND SOME TIPS FOR GOOD HEART HEALTH DURING THIS PANDEMIC?

SO YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY IT'S HEART MONTH AND THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME FOR EVERYONE I THINK I THINK THINKING ABOUT YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT IS IMPORTANT IN THESE TIMES BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IF WE ARE NOT EMOTIONALLY AND PHYSICALLY IN GOOD STATE FOR OURSELVES AND IN OUR OWN MINDS DIFFICULT TO SHARE WITH OTHERS, WE'RE OFTENTIMES CLOSE TO THE SAME PEOPLE FREQUENTLY.

AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE THINK ABOUT THAT GOOD HEALTH AND THAT JUST GETTING IN GOOD ROUTINES WE HAVE SOMETIMES WE HAVE THE FORTUNE OF HAVING A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME.

EVERYTHING HAS ITS PLUSES AND MINUSES AND MAYBE MORE TIME TO OURSELVES AND ALLOW US TO BE A LITTLE MORE REFLECTIVE SPENDING A LITTLE MORE TIME EXERCISING OR WALKING, REALLY WATCHING WHAT WE'RE EATING.

I THINK MENTAL HEALTH IS A BIG ISSUE MENTAL HEALTH IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH.

THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

THERE ARE STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT.

SO I THINK THOSE THREE ELEMENTS ARE A BIG THING AND THE FINAL COMMENT I WOULD MAKE IS THAT THERE'S JUST THERE'S JUST NOTHING TO DISPUTE THAT SOCIAL DISTANCING WEARING A MASK AND HYGIENE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES AND DEFEATING THIS VIRUS AND THE ULTIMATE ONE IS TO GET THE VACCINE AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET THE VACCINE.

IT'S VERY SAFE.

THE TECHNOLOGY IS VERY SAFE.

IT'S EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE.

AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GET OUT THERE AND WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE TO YOUR AGE GROUP, SIGN UP, GET THE VACCINE.

LET'S GET BEYOND THIS PANDEMIC.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ELOQUENT AS ALWAYS.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK SOON.

THANK SO MUCH, DR. ROBERTSON.

AND UNTIL NEXT TIME, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND FOR YOUR CALLS.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD HEALTH.