Main image via New Straits Times
Sources recently revealed that the steroid, dexamethasone is the first drug to significantly reduce the risk of death among severe COVID-19 cases!
This widely available drug was tested on more than 2,000 severely ill patients by researchers.
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Results revealed that the drug has helped to reduce on one-third of severe cases, and helped in better breathing for patients on ventilators.
What is this magical drug? You may wonder. Dexamathasone is an anti-inflammatory that’s used to treat a range of allergic reactions, as well as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. The team confirmed that daily dosage of this steroid could prevent one in eight ventilated patient deaths and save one in 25 patients requiring oxygen alone.
That is some really good news! Peter Horby, professor of Emerging Infectious Diseases in the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford said that this could be considered a extremely welcome result!
“Dexamathasone is inexpensive, on the shelf and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide”, he added.
However, the drug is ineffective in treating patients with milder forms or symptoms of the novel coronavirus.
Britain’s Health Secretary, Matt Hancock said that the country’s patients would start to receive the drug immediately and suggests that countries worldwide do the same.
This is indeed a major breakthrough! While we still wait for the COVID-19 vaccine, let’s cheer for this little achievement! We’re all in this together.
Well done!
By: Piravina Ragunathan
Info via New Straits Times
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