LONG TERM COMPLICATIONS OF CORONA

“It is a merry go round of symptoms and severities, with each new day offering many unknowns”

After recovery, the difficulty is sorting out long-term consequences. Because Covid-19 is a new disease, there are very few studies about its long-term trajectory. The new studies give us a glimpse of what may be in store for patients who battle moderate-to-severe cases of COVID-19. Doctors say that novel coronavirus can attach to human cells in many parts of the body and penetrate many major organs, including the heart, kidneys, brain, and even blood vessels that may lead to lung scarring, heart damage, and neurological and mental health effects. It will take time to finally understand how COVID-19 impacts health in the long run, but till now here are the findings:

Lung scarring: When the body is exposed to COVID-19, it mounts an excessive inflammatory immune response that it could harm the critical organs of the body such as lungs. The body tries to heal itself and this healing process itself can lead to irreversible scarring to the lung (lung fibrosis). This can dampen the lung capacity and can also lead to SOB, burning in the lungs and a dry cough. During infection, the spaces in the lungs get filled with debris and pus, making your lungs less pliable. CT scans show Covid-19 patients’ lungs frequently have lighter grey patches, called “ground-glass opacities” — which may not heal and cause permanents damage. The pulmonary function never goes back to baseline. 

Stroke, embolisms, and blood clotting: Many patients diagnosed and hospitalized for Covid-19 are experiencing unexpectedly high rates of blood clots, likely due to inflammatory responses. These blood clots can cause blocks in blood vessels to the brain (stroke), lung blockages (pulmonary embolism) and heart attacks. Studies suggest that between 23 and 30% of people with severe Covid-19 are having pulmonary embolisms.

Heart damage: Being critically ill, with low oxygen levels, puts additional stress on the heart. But these viral particles might also be specifically inflaming the heart muscle. The heart has many ACE2 receptors may act as an entry point for the SARS-CoV-2 virus inflaming the heart muscle according to a study, about 20% of the total patients with COVID-19 in China had heart damage during hospitalization and another study found out that about 16% of patients developed arrhythmia. According to the American College of Cardiology, there were also cases of acute onset heart failure, heart attack and cardiac arrest after the coronavirus infection.

Kidneys: According to the International Society of Nephrology, about 20-50% infected with Covid-19 showed abnormalities in the kidney. Though there is no such evidence of whether coronavirus affects kidneys or not, such cases could be worrisome.

Neurocognitive and mental health impacts:  Covid-19 also seems to affect the central nervous system, with potentially long-lasting consequences. Long-term complications could include decreased attention, concentration, and memory, as well as dysfunction in peripheral nerves. A study published in JAMA Neurology found that symptoms such as dizziness, headache and taste and smell impairment, were seen in 36% of the 214 COVID-19 patients in China. ARDS survivors frequently have increased rates of depression and anxiety, and many doctors are still trying to find out any deep connection between the COVID-19 and the nervous system.

With these wide varieties of symptoms and consequences, it will take months to completely understand long term complications 

Miss.AKHILA SUSAN JOHN, IVth PHARM.D