An estimated 47 million Americans are living with cardiometabolic diseases, according to the American College of Cardiology. Cardiometabolic diseases are interrelated conditions that include cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, and hypertension, as well as metabolic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes, obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Patients with cardiometabolic diseases have a higher risk of not only developing COVID-19, but also developing complications related to COVID-19.

On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Stephen Kopecky, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist, discusses lifestyle factors that affect cardiometabolic diseases and how COVID-19 can damage the heart.