ACE2 and Hypertension: Current evidence indicates that age, male sex, high body-mass index, and comorbidities–including diabetes and hypertension–are also associated with increased risk of Covid-19 [6, 7] For diabetic patients, the combination of increased angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), increased furin, impaired T-cell function, and increased interleukin-6 may increase disease severity [8].