Home remedies and treatments

Since March 2020, the medical community Quite amazing progress has been made For the treatment of COVID-19. What is right for you usually depends on the severity of your symptoms and how long it has been since you tested positive. But the dynamics of the pandemic are also important — especially the emergence of new coronavirus variants.

“We are now in a much better position than in the early days of the pandemic, mainly because of the excellent prevention of vaccines and boosters, as well as the treatment,” said the emergency physician. Associate Dr. Megan Ranney said. The Dean of Strategy and Innovation at the Brown School of Public Health said today.

The main options we currently have fall into two camps: Dr. Taison Bell, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases and International Health and Lung and Critical Care Medicine, University of Virginia, Antiviral and Antiviral Therapy. Said today. Antiviral drugs help prevent the virus from replicating in the body, while antibody therapy complements the immune system’s natural defenses against the virus.

For many people, especially those who are fully vaccinated, COVID-19 attacks do not require extensive treatment or a trip to the hospital. However, if you have risk factors for severe symptoms, you may be eligible for some of these treatments that will help prevent the need for hospitalization, including some options you can get at home. ..

There are two options for antiviral medications that you can take at home. Nirmatrelville and Ritonavir (Paxlovid) There is Molnupiravir (Lagevrio), both of which were approved by the Food and Drug Administration in December 2021. To be prescribed these drugs, a positive COVID-19 test and at least one risk factor are required. For severe COVID-19.

Compared to IV drugs, Bell generally said that pills are “less complicated from a management standpoint.”

The catch is that it should be taken within 3-5 days of being diagnosed with COVID-19, Lanny said.

Therefore, quick access to the COVID-19 test and a provider who can prescribe the drug in a reasonable time period are very important. The government’s Test to Treat program was designed to address this issue.check website To find a location near you where you can get both the COVID-19 test and the Paxlovid prescription if the test is positive.

However, another problem with these drugs is potential drug interactions. “There are several large categories of people who can’t take Paxrovid,” Lanny explained. That’s because “there are some medicines that can be dangerously high or dangerously low due to the way Paxrovid works.”

Dr. Robin Avery, an infectious disease doctor at Johns Hopkins University of Medicine, said today that this could be particularly dangerous for patients with solid organ transplants. She said that the ritonavir portion of Paxlovid raises the level of drugs such as tacrolimus (the “main immunosuppressive drug”) in the body, which can cause patients to tremble, kidney failure, and even stroke.

Meanwhile, pregnant or lactating people should not take molnupiravir, Lanny added. Therefore, if possible, you should take Paxlovid instead.

Bell recommended that patients concerned about potential interactions and their donors check the University of Liverpool. COVID-19 Drug Interaction Checker.. Avery also National Institute of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines From Infectious Diseases Society of America..

He has been reported to feel better and negative for several days before the symptoms recur after taking Paxlovid. It may also be positive again, usually 2-8 days after the initial recovery. This phenomenon is Paxlovid rebound“It seems unusual … I don’t call it unusual,” Bell said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention I recently warned that Paxlovid could rebound.

“First of all, it looks like this Subvariant As the CDC pointed out, some people suffering from COVID-19 caused by the currently circulating Omicron submutant experience rebound of symptoms regardless of whether they are taking Paxrovid. There is a possibility.

Another theory is that, as Bell explained, a relatively short course of treatment with Paxrovid is not enough for your body to successfully attach its own defenses. “What you are doing is to save time with this. You keep the virus away (while your body is building its immune response),” he said. But for some people, one course of Paxlovid may not give their bodies enough time to do it.

The CDC recommends that the quarantine be restarted from the beginning, as it is unclear how likely it is that people experiencing a Paxrovid rebound will spread the virus.

If the COVID-19 attack is relatively mild, some symptoms may help you feel better at home.

• Use over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen to reduce body pain and fever. According to the CDC..
• Keep hydrated and get plenty of rest. Mayo Clinic advises..
• For coughs and sore throats, try soothing remedies you may use Seasonal colds and fluLike a cough drop or tea with honey.
• Be aware of when you need to see a doctor. If you have breathing problems, you may notice continuous pressure on your throat or chest, or you may find it difficult to keep awake. Other major warning signs of the CDCPlease ask for help immediately.

“The first-line treatment for people who have been diagnosed with COVID and are at relatively high risk is to prescribe those (Paxlobid) pills,” Ranny said. But if someone can’t get the pill, or if the pill is outside the window where it may be effective, “the next treatment is a monoclonal antibody that is an infusion.” You can pick it up at your designated medical facility and then depart.

Among patients with weakened immunity, this type of treatment “made the biggest difference in early treatment,” Avery said. She added that it eliminates the need for people to develop severe symptoms and come to the hospital.

But the effectiveness of Monoclonal antibody therapy It depends on the coronavirus variants that are always circulating.Experts are now like these antibody therapies Antibodies that your body naturally makes It works by binding to a small portion of the coronavirus peplomer in response to infection. If the peaplomers vary from variant to variant, these treatments may not work well.

Therefore, some treatments such as gamlanivimab are available. Used early on is now disabled. instead of, NIH recommended using Sotrovimab during winter omicron waves And it is recommended to use now Bachelor of Arts against BA.2...

Remdesivir (Veklury) is an antiviral treatment available at certain medical centers and facilities.

It is given through IV and requires 3 consecutive days of treatment. NIH explained.. So while there is evidence that remdesivir is effective in keeping people away from the hospital, “it’s logistically tricky,” Avery said. “Many centers do not always have areas where these outpatient fusions can be performed for three consecutive days.”

What are one of the main benefits of Remdesivir? Its usefulness is unlikely to be affected by changes in the predominant variant. “It works at the level of RNA polymerase, not the spike protein,” Avery explained. “Therefore, mutations in peplomer are not expected to affect their effectiveness.”

Patients in the hospital also receive a standard set of supportive care to help fight and prevent blood clots, Lanny said. However, there are not many options for dealing specifically with COVID-19.

“If you’re sick enough to be hospitalized, we have far fewer options,” Lanny said. “At that point, COVID is already starting to cause great damage.” This is what you might get:

Alongside remdesivir, patients who are hospitalized and need oxygen may be given the corticosteroid dexamethasone. Such drugs can be used to stop “the rise in the inflammatory phase that causes respiratory failure in hospitalized patients,” Avery said.

Bell reiterated that this should not be taken out of the doctor’s supervision by people. “Steroids have risks and benefits, not only because they can reduce inflammation, but also because they can suppress the immune system,” he explained. “So you are always walking that line.”

If dexamethasone is not available, NIH recommended looking at other corticosteroids such as prednisone.

Both of these are commonly used medications for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. According to NIH, hospitalized COVID-19 patients can be given with dexamethasone or another corticosteroid.

Plasma from donors recovered from COVID-19 can be given to patients to help heal inpatients. Early in the pandemic, convalescent plasma seemed to be helpful. But today NIH It is recommended to use plasma collected prior to the appearance of Omicron and only for people with weakened immunity.

However, this is one of the “pendulum-looking-back” treatment options, and Avery pointed out the work of his colleague Dr. Arturo Casadeval.In a recent study published in New England Journal of MedicineA team of researchers, including Casadevall, have discovered that it may be beneficial to use convalescent plasma among unvaccinated people within 9 days of the onset of symptoms.

“We actually used a lot of convalescent plasma throughout the pandemic of immunocompromised patients, because they often feel that they do not show a sufficient antibody response (to a vaccine or infection). Because it is, “she explained.

There are as many advances we have made in the development of COVID-19 treatments, but there is still work to be done, especially when it comes to making those options actually available.

“Currently, these (therapies) are physically widely available,” Bell said. “But functionally, there are still barriers to getting them.” For example, not everyone has a primary care provider who can easily prescribe Paxlovid.

Lanny agreed: “Unfortunately, there are groups across the country who are unaware of their ability to receive these treatments or simply do not have access to them,” she said. Recent research Blacks, Asians, and Hispanics have shown that they are less likely to be prescribed monoclonal antibody therapy than whites.

It is also helpful to know the risk factors for severe COVID-19 and probably discuss them with your doctor. Before You get infected, Avery said. These risk factors include high BMI, over 60 years of age, ex-smokers, diabetes and heart disease.

“If people have one or more of these risk factors, they should actually consult with their provider and plan ahead,” Avery said. “At least that person and his donor should discuss whether they are eligible for treatments like Paxlovid and whether there are potential drug interactions to watch out for.”

Experts also emphasized that treatment is not a substitute for preventative measures. “Treatment is always the second line,” Bell said. Vaccination, boosting and wearing a high quality mask are still the best ways to prevent infection with COVID-19.

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