TREATMENTS AND MANAGEMENT OF CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 (COVID-19)

Abstract

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a serious public health crisis threatening the world with extremely fast spread and mortality. The disease is transmitted by inhalation or contact with infected droplets and the incubation period ranges from 2 to 14 days or even more. The most common symptoms are fever, dry cough, and tiredness, while the serious symptoms are difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, and loss of speech or movement. There are also less common symptoms such as; aches and pains, sore throat, diarrhea, conjunctivitis, headache, loss of taste or smell, and a rash on the skin, or discoloration of fingers or toes. The disease may progress to pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and multi-organ dysfunction especially in elderly people and those with comorbidities. However, symptoms of a coronavirus usually go away on their own and many people are asymptomatic. The virus is diagnosed in respiratory secretions by special molecular tests. In some cases, self-isolate to prevent the spread of infection is preferred and advisable. There is no specific treatment for disease caused by a coronavirus. However, many of the symptoms can be treated and therefore treatment based on the patients' clinical conditions.

Objectives: There is currently no vaccine or effective treatment for COVID-19, the treatment is either supportive and/ or the treatment of symptoms. Several strategies in the treatment of the disease were applied including drugs. This review aims to summarize the different strategies and drugs used for the treatment of COVID-19.

Materials and Methods: Different literature and guidelines among different databases were searched. Literature reviewing was conducted using the following search engines, Google Scholar, Medline, Pub Med, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Science Direct. Data also obtained from WHO reports, and the published peer-reviewed articles of 2019-nCoV. The review focuses on the therapeutic drug types and approaches used in the treatment and management of the disease.

Conclusions: The Strategies to end the COVID-19 pandemic are; to slow and stop transmission; provide optimized care for patients; and minimize the impact of the epidemic on health systems, social services, and economic activity. To achieve these; proper management, right actions, and effective treatment of the disease should be considered. To date, there are no specific vaccines or medicines for COVID-19; and treatments are under investigation through clinical trials. Besides, there are no FDA approved drugs for COVID-19 until now. However, an array of drugs approved for other indications, as well as multiple investigational agents, are being studied for the treatment of COVID-19; in several hundred clinical trials around the World. Treatment is essentially supportive and symptomatic.

Keywords: COVID-19, Coronavirus, Treatment, Prevention, Antiviral, 2019-nCoV