February is American Hearth Health Month and this year it falls during a pandemic – that’s why the Cleveland Clinic’s 2021 Heart Health Survey took a deep-dive into how COVID-19 is affecting Americans’ view of their heart health and heart care. And, while the report found that 76% of Americans are feeling more stressed due to COVID-19, only 55% of Americans are aware that stress can have a substantial impact on their heart health.
Even more concerning is that one in three (34%) of heart disease patients are putting off taking their heart medications during COVID-19, with main reason being that they are worried about going to the doctor and potentially being exposed to COVID-19.
But even though Americans are wary about seeing their doctor during a pandemic, the survey found that COVID-19 has driven three in four Americans to have a heightened concern about their heart health - 81% of heart disease patients are now even more concerned about their heart health because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
