[ad_1]
The characteristics of the drug
the steroid drug already used against some autoimmune diseases makes the difference in most critical situations of the disease, when the patient needs oxygen, but instead may carry a slight additional risk in those who do not need ventilation That is why it must be administered at the right time. In fact, the drug helps in the most serious cases of Covid-19, characterized by aover-activation of the immune system (cytokine storm) that can damage tissues, including lung tissues. In this last phase of the disease, the greatest damage comes from the immune system and not from the virus: Dexamethasone extinguishes excessive inflammation that kicks in the immune system to defend against infection.Generally, dexamethasone is not used in mild or moderate cases of the disease when the virus is the main enemy and the immune system remains an ally: reducing its activity while trying to attack Sars-Cov-2 can be counterproductive. On September 2, the World Health Organization issued guidelines recommending that the steroid be administered only to patients with severe and critical Covid-19.
The study in Great Britain
A large study of more than 6,000 patients conducted by the University of Oxford in the UK found that dexamethasone has helped patients who have been sick for more than a week. Analysis of the RECOVERY study found that the drug, overall, reduced the 28-day death rate by 17%. The greatest benefits were seen among patients who required ventilation.. Compared with standard treatments, dexamethasone reduced deaths by 35% in intubated patients and by 20% in oxygen-only patients. It had no effect, compared to standard therapies, in patients who did not require respiratory support.
October 4, 2020 (change October 4, 2020 | 19:40)
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
[ad_2]
