SARS-CoV-2, a novel virus that causes COVID-19 infection, has recently emerged and caused a deadly pandemic. Studies have shown that this virus causes worse outcomes and a higher mortality rate in older adults and those with comorbidities such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, and chronic kidney disease. A significant percentage of older American adults have these diseases, putting them at a higher risk of infection. Additionally, many adults with hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease are placed on angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). Studies have shown that these medications upregulate the ACE-2 receptor, the very receptor which the SARS-CoV-2 virus uses to enter host cells, which puts older adults at a further increased risk of infection. In this review, we discuss the transmission, symptomatology, mortality, and possible treatments for this infection, as they relate to older adults. This article is protected by copyright.
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