IL6 and Hypertension: We found that patients with COVID-19 with a history of CVD, especially hypertension, were significantly older than those without, that they had increased mortality, and that they had elevated biomarkers associated with cardiac damage and heart failure including elevated levels of troponin T, IL-6, creatine kinase/CK-MB, D-dimer, kappa and lambda Ig FLC (see summary of findings in Figure 4).