Tips and Resources

As the second COVID-19 wave spreads across the country, many Canadians are either locked-down or in self imposed quarantines. The consequence is significantly fewer medical appointments and trips to emergency. 

Beyond the physical health threat of Covid-19, 81% of working Canadians feel the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health¹. As fall slips into winter across Canada, daylight hours decline significantly.

Each year Canadians’ face a “seasonal influenza epidemic”. The Flu Season typically begins in late fall and is with us through the winter months. Historically, 5-10% of adults and 20-30% of children contract the flu.

Over 7.5 million Canadian’s have hypertension (high blood pressure). Frequently called “the silent killer”, most of us learn we have hypertension from our family doctors because there are no symptoms or pain to warn us we have the condition.

After six months into to COVID-19, several studies have revealed people with hypertension are at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. In fact, there is mounting evidence that COVID-19 affects the heart, regardless of age and fitness levels of patients. The Center for Disease Control in the US has identified several underlying health conditions that put individuals at higher risk should they contract COVID-19. These include: serious heart diseases, COPD, obesity, cancer, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and people with compromised immune systems¹.

We know that data collected from Covid-19 studies across the globe shows that age is a common risk factor in the severity of the disease.  Put simply, older people get sicker from Covid-19.

Over 7.5 million Canadians have high blood pressure (hypertension). Analysis of other COVID-19 countries, including China have shown that individuals with hypertension or other heart related conditions are at higher risk of complications from Covid-19, including higher death rates. 

Medical researchers are perplexed by data from Covid 19 patients. The data shows that cardiac arrest is the cause of death in 20% of cases.(1) This is not particularly significant because severe respiratory distress frequently can result in heart failure as the condition deteriorates.

A Finger Tip Pulse Oximeter like the one sold on the BIOS Medical website measures blood oxygen saturation or SpO2.  The device uses two frequencies of light (red and infrared) to determine the % of hemoglobin in the blood. 

For Immediate Release

NEWMARKET, ONTARIO, April 6th 2020 – Newmarket based BIOS Medical has donated 30,000 examination gloves to Southlake Regional Health Center. Personal Protective Equipment including gloves, masks, and face visors are all in high demand currently and many hospitals are warning of shortages.

There has been speculation on social media sites that people with hypertension should stop taking ACE-1 and ARB medications. To date, there hasn’t been any conclusive research on COVID-19 and hypertension, but based on statistical evidence there appears to be an association, as there does with age.