Research indicates blood thinning meds can help severely ill coronavirus patients
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Scientists from Mount Sinai in New York has found a potential link between blood clot medicines and coronavirus death rate.
- Their study showed that a significant number of COVID-19 patients survived when they were given the blood-thinning meds.
- A co-researcher urged the health community to look further into the study so it can help patients suffering from the infection.
On a recent study, scientists say that blood thinners could help in the medication of individuals infected with the coronavirus, especially patients who are seriously ill.
The research, conducted by Mount Sinai Health System, discovered that there’s a significant drop in the number of deaths when COVID-19 patients under care with ventilators are administered with blood-thinning drugs.
On Wednesday, the study was published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology and based on the data researchers gathered from 395 ventilated patients, around 29.1 percent who took the pill survived, while 62.7 percent who were not given the blood clot medicine died.
Senior corresponding research author, Dr Valentin Fuster theorizes that blood thinners could help stop possibly lethal conditions connected to COVID-19 such as strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure.
In a statement, Dr Fuster said that giving anticoagulants must be taken into consideration for COVID-19 patients gets admitted to the emergency procedure to help alleviate their conditions.
The team of scientists noted though that their study still on its preliminary stage and the treatment is may not be compatible with everyone. They added that health care professionals should consider effects to patients, such as increased bleeding conditions.
While some doctors have already started giving their patients the
medication, the team said that the study could be useful as anecdotal data.
They warned, however, more samples will still be needed to rule out if the
relationship between reduced COVID-19 deaths and blood thinners.
In an interview with NBC News, pulmonologist and North Shore University Hospital’s Respiratory Care Services medical director, Dr Hugh Cassiere, said that regardless of the presence of study or not, they are already giving anticoagulants to COVID-19 patients.
The research has been limited to the recorded 2,773 patients tested positive with coronavirus confined to five hospitals under New York City’s Mount Sinai Health System from March 14 to April 11.
Currently, researchers from Mount Sinai are to conduct a related study, this time with almost twice the number of coronavirus patients before they advance to clinical trials to define the authorized uses of the medicine.
Medical Doctor and co-researcher, Anu Lala, said that her experience as a cardiologist treating COVID-19 patients for at least 21 days, she observed a significant increase in blood clot cases among these individuals.
She added it is only imperative that medical experts look into anticoagulants and its benefits to the patients.
Source: New York Post
