Posted on 04/06/2020 4:27:53 AM PDT by DannyTN
... As more data comes in from China and Italy, as well as Washington state and New York, more cardiac experts are coming to believe the COVID-19 virus can infect the heart muscle. An initial study found cardiac damage in as many as 1 in 5 patients, leading to heart failure and death even among those who show no signs of respiratory distress.
That could change the way doctors and hospitals need to think about patients, particularly in the early stages of illness. It also could open up a second front in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, with a need for new precautions in people with preexisting heart problems, new demands for equipment and, ultimately, new treatment plans for damaged hearts among those who survive. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at khn.org ...
+1
Two years ago my wife had a serious bout of pneumonia, has never had any heart issues in her life, but in a low oxygen environment like lung issues bring started making heart rhythm's so eratic from her system adjusting her heart rate to get more O2 that it ended up with her in AFIB that she now has to control with drugs for the rest of her life. It happens.
Yes, but there is a balance. reserving a 60 day supply for patients alread prescribed the drug and then let the surplus be released.
According to President Trump, a flow of Hydroxi chloroquin meds has been established, not just for the USA , but for 151 countries around our world.
Again , Where is the beef?
Good explanation. Thank you.
Amen brother, amen. Couldn’t agree more.
Your first response to me was revealing, and exactly what I expected after reading your posts in this thread, and I can see that you have rethought it, understandably.
I’m happy about your success rate, and I hope that continues for the entire length of this event.
Good luck, good skill, stay safe.
You know, I honestly dont know. I am perplexed by the connection with HTN. I know there is some connection with Angiotensin and the renal - angiotensin - aldosterone axis, but I am unsure if it is related to the uncontrolled presence of ACE or actually the ACEi therapy — I read speculation on both. Honestly, I do not think we are sophisticated enough to know all the variables on this?
This is the perfect extrapolation for the bench scientists to figure out. So, I have no ability to take a stab at this as I know what I dont know, and I surely dont have an answer for this. I am sure there are some people far smarter than me who can answer this. My gut feeling, though, is that it has to do with the presence of the ACE inhibitors. But that is pure conjecture and should not be taken as anymore than the guess that it is.
>>There were several videos that managed to escape before China locked down that showed people keeling over on the street
I’d wondered why we hadn’t seen similar occurrences elsewhere
In other words, we have to test just about everyone.
And dump the Chinese test kits.
because most of the. were from movies and debunked
Did you just tell yourself to f*** off?
“Flubros need to be aware of it.”
This flubro has been aware since the start that heart conditions can be aggravated into death by coronavirus, just as flu can do so. What is new?
*shrug* I was raised on base Doctors as a Marine Corps Brat.
We had little difficulty finding a-hole doctors.
I haven’t really rethought all that much. I have been guided by my experience and training. I am very passionate that people understand what is the state of the science and the medicine. This will be unpopular so I will buckle up for the blow back on the following statement:
There is nothing really new under the sun. I am not seeing atypical presentations of pulmonary disease that acts differently than any other syndrome from other causes. I am not sure I am explaining my thoughts all that well. What I am seeing is a far more rapid response to more aggressive vent settings. Should we have been doing this all along? I am also seeing that we are bypassing literally 3 - 4 temporizing therapies (High Flow, CPAP, BiPAP) and heading right to the vent. I am not sure this is a good thing, and feel it MAY have been a reaction to possible unconfirmed reports of aerosolizing the virus. In this, perhaps this is an over-reaction?
I know we are hyped up about a lot, and it is nearly impossible to set aside the emotion of the lockdown and practice medicine scientifically and artfully instead of reacting to what we are seeing. The numbers, though, just aren’t there. And if the trend holds in NYC (big if - in my analysis, I have noted that there is a weekend lull if you will, however as some others have pointed out, deaths are probably accurately reported) then perhaps we have an indicator of apex or being very near to it. What I do know, is that there is a not a glut on the healthcare system even in the hottest of spots
I will always be unfailingly honest in my assessment. And when I am wrong I will say it. To you, then, I also add my apologies for being harsh. Here is the story that is not being told...
I walked by a sign at my hospital last night that says heroes work here. Now that we are under lockdown, we as workers enter in a special spot in the hospital away from everyone else. They call it “heroes” walk. I dont feel like a hero, as every time I walk in the hospital it is not lost on me or my colleagues that we are putting our lives, and the lives of our families on the line. I suppose this is true every time we treat, particularly in critical care. But to be called a hero when you are filled with some degree of fear and self doubt feels bad somehow. I am not looking for praise out complements, believe me.
But the first time I took out a laryngoscope and intubated a suspected case, I was frightened and I have handled well over 25,000 airways in my life. Truthfully, we are scared, but every day we put the emotion aside and walk into that ICU and do our best. So I suppose I am asking for a little slack as most of the time this isn’t all that emotional to us. I have had colleagues die of disease that have gotten through an errant needle stick, or become ill with whatever is going around, it is just an ongoing reminder as to our frailty — and we are all in that same boat together.
Lastly, I believe we will get through this. What I am baffled by is the scoreboard mentality and the macabre relationship with death that we are all watching on the media. it is sick. It is not how we are supposed to live. It is not healthy.
I will pray for you and wish you all the health and safety there is. I am now going on a walk in this glorious and beautiful day, I do not have to go back to work for a couple of days, so I will now attend to living instead of disease...
I am sorry for speaking harshly to you. I ask for your forgiveness.
Probably — I am a little tired I suspect.
I’m sure once things get rolling and the supply is in U.S. warehouses & being distributed to pharmacies, things will change.
However, from what I’ve read, this drug or combination of drugs is not a cure-all. Hydroxychloroquine can have some serious side effects (especially with people who have heart or liver disease) and it has quite a few drug interactions (prescription & over the counter). So, discussion & monitoring by your Dr. is necessary to evaluate if it’s safe to take.
For what its worth Plaquenil is a pretty safe drug compared to a lot of other drugs
Whoops! I misread a headline, BBC India.
Article says that they have the capacity, it didn’t say they would.
Didn’t drill down before I opened my big mouf.
Too much data to absorb in too little time. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it...
“For what its worth Plaquenil is a pretty safe drug compared to a lot of other drugs”
Yes, I understand, but some people think it should be handed out like candy to everyone.
That would do it...
Thanks.
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