A woman says coronavirus ‘saved her life’, after doctors detected an undiagnosed heart condition during her treatment.
Angela Schlegel, an actress based in London, started experiencing coronavirus symptoms while at home, and was hospitalised at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital 11 days later.
During her treatment, doctors realised that her heart wasn't functioning properly.
Speaking to BBC News, Ms Schlegel, 36, said: “It just blew my mind as I was told my heart was not functioning the way it should be.”
Scans revealed a build up of fluid around her lungs and heart, and doctors diagnosed her with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) - an inflammatory disease of small and medium sized blood vessels that can affect the lungs, skin, heart, kidneys, nerves and bowels.
Ms Schlegel said: "If the EGPA was left undiagnosed I could have just dropped dead.
"Coronavirus was putting my body and my heart under a lot of stress and doctors said it had accelerated my EPGA.
"It saved my life in the long term, but in the short term coronavirus did nearly kill me.”
After her diagnosis, Ms Schlegel spent five weeks in hospital, describing her treatment as ‘just outstanding.’
Meanwhile, Dr Pujan Patel, one of her consultants, told BBC Breakfast that watching Ms Schlegel’s recovery had a ‘huge impact’ on staff morale.
He added: “When you do see that patient getting up on their on two feet and smiling it makes a tremendous impact.”
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