At the start of the COVID pandemic, doctors and scientists were looking for successful treatments that could reduce the virus’s toll. At this point, quite a few promising candidates have emerged, many of which are already on the market to treat other diseases. Now another possible COVID treatment is added to the list in the form of a widely available and extensively tested inhaler traditionally used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). According to a new study from the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Center (BRC), which is not yet to be peer-reviewed, the drug budesonide was found to reduce the risk of serious disease by 90 percent. Read on to learn more about this breakthrough treatment for COVID, and for the latest vaccine news, visit Dr. Fauci says you can easily get a vaccination appointment after this date.
While observing a total of 146 subjects, the researchers gave half of the group a budesonide inhaler for twice-daily doses of 800 micrograms and the other half a placebo for 28 days. Those who took the treatment were not only 90 percent less likely to receive emergency care, they also reportedly benefited from a shorter duration of fever and fewer long-term symptoms.
“I am encouraged to see the decrease in persistent symptoms 14 and 28 days after budesonide treatment,” Mona Bafadhel, MD, a professor and respiratory consultant who also works with the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, shared on the University of Oxford website. “Persistent symptoms after the first COVID-19 disease have emerged as a long-term problem. Any intervention that could fix this would be a big step forward,” she added.
The study was reportedly inspired by the observation that few chronic asthma patients were hospitalized in the early months of the pandemic. The findings may confirm that this trend was due to the use of corticosteroid inhalers that prevent more serious effects on breathing. If confirmed, the discovery could save countless lives.
“The vaccine programs are really exciting, but we know it will take some time to reach everyone around the world,” Bafadhel said. ‘I find it encouraging that a relatively safe, widely available and well-studied drug such as an inhaled steroid could have an impact on the pressures we are experiencing during the pandemic. “
Wondering how else to reduce your serious COVID risk? Read on for more ways to control the virus, and to learn more about your potential risk level, see If You Have This Common Habit Your COVID Symptoms Will Be Worse.
Budesonide isn’t the only drug already on the market that can combat COVID. According to a recent Canadian study, which is not yet to be peer-reviewed, an anti-inflammatory gout medication called colchicine could also significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths from the new coronavirus.
The researchers insist that, in addition to those benefits, colchicine is also cheap, administered orally, and has little known side effects. In addition, the team reported that the treatment group showed fewer cases of pneumonia and a reduced need for supplemental oxygen. And for more drugs that could potentially help prevent severe cases, check out This Drug May Lower Your Risk of Death From COVID, Experts Say.
New research also shows that those who take a daily dose of aspirin may experience better COVID results than those who don’t.
An October study in the journal Anesthesia and analgesia reviewed the medical records of more than 400 coronavirus patients hospitalized from March to July. Among those patients, those who took low-dose aspirin daily were found to be 43 percent less likely to be transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 44 percent less likely to be placed on a ventilator. Finally, those same patients were also 47 percent less likely to die from COVID than the hospital patients who did not take aspirin daily. And to avoid contracting the virus, find out where you’re most likely to encounter COVID right now, a new study says.
According to a December study that is not yet to be peer-reviewed, a simple nasal spray can have a profound effect on the novel coronavirus. Through in vitro studies, researchers found that Xlear Sinus Care can help neutralize COVID-19: it was able to significantly reduce the amount of active COVID virus after just 25 minutes.
Ingredients of the spray are xylitol – a chemical compound often used as a sweetener – as well as 0.2 percent grapefruit seed extract (GSE) and 0.85 percent saline. “Combination therapy with GSE and xylitol can prevent the spread of viral respiratory infections not only for SARS-CoV-2 but also for future H1N1 or other viral epidemics,” the study authors wrote. “GSE significantly reduces the viral load, while xylitol prevents the attachment of the virus to the core protein on the cell wall.” And for more COVID news delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Blood clots are common with COVID, affecting about one-third of severe patients, according to a January meta-analysis published in the journal Medical hypothesesAnd that’s why blood thinners may be the answer. In a February 2021 study published in The BMJResearchers examined data from 4,297 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs COVID patients whose mean age was 68. They found that COVID patients who received blood thinners within 24 hours of admission to hospital saw their risk of death decreased by 34 percent compared to those who did not receive the medication.
While more research is needed, the study authors say their findings “provide strong realistic evidence to support guidelines recommending the use of prophylactic anticoagulation as the initial treatment for patients with COVID-19 in hospital admission.” And for more on what can reduce your COVID risk, check out these 3 Vitamins That Can Save You from Severe COVID, Study Finds.