A research study suggests that blood thinners can help people affected by COVID-19. Evidence emerges that blood-thinning drugs can relieve potential blood clotting complications.
A research team from Mount Sinai Hospital detected a severe complication in COVID-19. People affected by the viral pandemic develop more blood clots in their bodies.
The team recommends using blood thinners to help severely affected individuals. Until a vaccine is ready, any ways to improve survival rates can be helpful for patients.
Anticoagulants cut down on clots and stroke
Dr. Valentin Fuster, the study’s senior author, said that the use of thinners could “possibly improve outcomes.” Within the patients his team studied, the risk of bleeding among them is low. Bleeding is one of the side effects that blood thinners have in affected patients.
“Using anticoagulants should be considered when patients get admitted to the ER and have tested positive for COVID-19, to possibly improve outcomes,” the physician-in-chief of Mount Sinai Hospital said.
The team is running tests at the moment to check the most effective anticoagulant. They’re also looking at what dose works best against coronavirus. Anticoagulants come in different forms, from aspirin to warfarin.
Fuster also noted that people who received the drugs “did better than those who didn’t.” He said that he believes people should also get treatment of antithrombotics. Even then, the findings are not significant enough to make scientific recommendations.
Blood thinners improve survival chances by 34%
Over the past few weeks, reports across the world created alarming details. Doctors notice that Coronavirus can cause heart attacks and strokes. The complications come not only in older people but in younger, healthier adults.
People as young as 33 to 49 years old with fantastic health experience stroke. The research by the Icahn School of Medicine supports these findings. The study also referenced similar cases in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Fuster and his team looked at over 2,700 patients treated at Mount Sinai. The area experienced a hard hit from coronavirus.
Through their investigation, 29% of patients died when given blood thinners. People not given the anticoagulant drugs had a 63% mortality rate. The 34% survival difference was enough for the team to look deeper.
The positive part of the medication schedule is the lack of significant side effects. Many who received blood-thinning medicine did not suffer from bleeding symptoms. Fuster notes that clotting is a real problem that needs proper resolution.
In coronavirus affected patients, the clotting starts in the lungs, according to Fuster. It then goes to the kidneys, heart, and eventually, the brain.
There’s no clear information on why the COVID-19 is causing blood clots. The likely answer is that severe blood clotting comes from acute inflammation from viral infections. Children are also experiencing symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease from coronavirus.
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