What is Dexamethasone and How it used to treat COVID- 19 patients.

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  • A cheap and widely available drug (Dexamethasone) can help save the lives of patients seriously ill with corona virus.

  • What is Dexamethasone?
  • Dexamethasone is a steroid that has been used since the 1960, to reduce information in a range of condition, including inflammatory disorders and certain cancers. It has been listed on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicine since 1977.

  • What is the price of Dexamethasone?
  • In the US, the average retail price is under $50. While in UK, it costs about €5. In India, strip of 30 tablets MRP₹6.38 and 2ml Injection ₹10.21.

  • The UK scientists says, The low dose steroid treatment Dexamethasone is a major breakthrough in the fighting against the deadly corona virus.
  • Dexamethasone cut the risk of death by a third for patient on ventilators. For on O2, it reduce it reduce death by a fifth.
  • It benefit was only seen in patients seriously ill with COVID-19, and was not observed in patients with milder disease.

  • How is it used to treat COVID-19 patients?
  • Patient with severe COVID-19 complication saw significant benefits with Dexamethasone in the UK study. These patients took it for 10 days, either orally or Via Intravenous (IV) injection.
  • After a month, it had reduce deaths by 35% in patients who needed treatment with breathing machine and by 20% in those needing supplemented O2. It didn't appear to help less ill patients.

  • What are the complications occur with Dexamethasone oral tablet.
  • Vomiting
  • Swelling (edema)
  • Headache
  • Depression and personality change
  • Anxiety
  • The world Health Organization advice against using steroid earlier in the course of illness because they can impede clearing the viruses. 
                 Thanks for reading 😊

  Reference:
  • WHO guidelines for COVID-19.
  • USA Today the association press.

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