Corona: Men are more seriously ill than women - researchers may have a decisive explanation

Corona virus infection is dramatic in some people. Covid 19 patients are fighting for their lives. Men seem to be more often affected. Researchers now have a clue.

• Researchers all over the world are trying to find out everything about the novel coronavirus Sars-CoV-2 *.
• Coronavirus infection is very different. Some Covid-19 patients become seriously ill, especially men seem to be more affected.
• Here you will find the basic facts about the corona virus *. You can also see the current number of cases in Germany as a map *. 

Munich - Doctors and scientists learn about the course of an infection with the new Sars-CoV-2 coronavirus every day, but a lot changes from day to day. Already at the beginning of the pandemic, it was observed that men develop Covid-19 more often and more severely than women . So far there have only been speculations and a worrying suspicion. 

Coronavirus: Men are more seriously ill than women - researchers are now finding new clues  

The different case numbers in China were initially tried to explain that smokers - i.e. men - are particularly affected. In France, however, doctors later noticed that nicotine could potentially have a protective effect. A small number of smokers were in a hospital among the Covid 19 patients. It is known that the coronavirus attacks the airways massively and therefore smokers belong to the risk group for Covid 19 disease *.

Coronavirus: Are Men Really More Susceptible to Covid-19?

A European study now claims to have explained why men are more susceptible to Covid-19 than women. The focus of the scientists was on older patients - men and women with heart failure who belong to the high-risk group . The results of the study were published in the European Heart Journal : 

• The blood of men therefore has a higher value than a key enzyme called ACE2  (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2) compared to women .

The novel Sars-CoV-2 uses the enzyme ACE2 as a receptor to penetrate a host cell and then replicate, that is to say replicate. The ACE2 enzyme is found primarily in the lungs, but also in the heart, in the intestine. 

• In their investigations, the researchers also found that drugs prescribed as  ACE inhibitors or blockers for heart failure , diabetes or kidney disease would not lead to higher ACE2 concentrations , according to the test series .

Patients who are dependent on appropriate medication would therefore not carry a higher risk for Covid-19 . 

Circulating plasma concentrations of #angiotensin -converting enzyme 2 in men and women w / #heartfailure and effects of renin – angiotensin – aldosterone inhibitors https://t.co/FMfta2Bv1N@MarcoMetra @Filippatos @ehj_ed #EHJ #cardiotwitter # COVID19 # ace2recept # ace2 pic.twitter.com/hwNfiQuV56

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