Giving blood thinners to severely ill Covid-19 patients is gaining ground

[SheltieLover]

https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/06/giving-blood-thinners-to-severely-ill-covid19-patients-gaining-ground/

Treating Covid-19 patients with medicines to prevent blood clots might help reduce deaths in patients on ventilators, based on new observational data.

A team from Mount Sinai Health System in New York on Wednesday reported better results for hospitalized Covid-19 patients who received anticoagulant drugs compared to patients who didn’t. The data are preliminary and require confirmation in larger studies with a more robust design, the authors say about their study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, but their findings add weight to medical guidelines.

While there are no firm data on the frequency of clotting problems in Covid-19 patients, there have been troubling anecdotal reports of patients whose lungs are peppered with tiny clots or who have suffered strokes. Last month, other Mount Sinai doctors detailed strokes in five Covid-19 patients in their 30s and 40s, an unusually young age for such a damaging cardiovascular event.

More at link.

[CaptYossarian]

1. If neocons are bothered by wearing masks,

they won't enjoy a Heparin shot to the abdomen either.

[Demsrule86]

2. My brother had this treatment...he was treated with heparin for 12 hours or more...

It saved his life. Today he is home recuperating. He was at St. Vincents in Bridgeport CT...they have been great at heart related stuff for years...Dad has a valve replacement there years ago.

[CaptYossarian]

4. I know the drug works, but it stings like @#$%.

I'm glad your family is doing well. Continued good health to all.

[Demsrule86]

10. Thanks...he said it was terribly painful and they can't give you much for the pain as his O2

levels were low and painkillers depress breathing. He laid on his stomach receiving this treatment for over 12 hours...but he survived and we didn't think he would. He said goodbye to his wife and to us by video...but then a miracle.

[CaptYossarian]

12. Medicine is amazing today.

Medical staff is even more amazing. They have to balance death and miracles each day and stay sane.

[Ms. Toad]

3. Having experienced both -

masks are muchmore intrusive.

Not excusing anti-maskers, but injecting heparin is a momentary inconvenience.

[Maru Kitteh]

5. Heparin seems to hurt for some much worse than others for some reason, and I've

injected a LOT of people with heparin. So I'm quite sure some would prefer the mask.

[Ms. Toad]

14. I don't recall any pain at all, other than the injection/venipuncture

I was on it for 30 days as an IV, back in the 80s, and another 2-3 days in the 90s, and as a subcutaneous injection for two weeks (perhaps longer) in the 90s, and again a decade later.

Through those years, I was also in a support group for people with the same condition (v-TOS) - and i don't recall any of them complaining of pain, either. (And many in the group were very vocal with complaints, since it was a safe space to vent)

[Maru Kitteh]

15. I'm happy to hear your injection reactions were mild and more importantly, successful. I can tell

you that for some people, heparin stings like a son-a-bitch.

[Ms. Toad]

16. Not just mine -

but I've really talked with lots of people who have had the injection - and have not encountered anyone for whom the medication caused pain.

And, unfortunately, mine not really successful - that's why I was in the hospital on heparin for 30 days. Clot busting drugs didn't work either, so I now have surface collateral circulation (massive survace veins) on the left side. There were recurrences every decade for the next 3 (although the 3rd was on the opposite side - where I am now missing a rib which - 4 decades ago - they hadn't even thought of as a solution).

[CaptYossarian]

8. Heparin is one of the things I dread about hospital stays.

I do see your point, however.

Masks only cloud my glasses. That puts everyone else at risk when my wheelchair reaches passing gear in the halls.

Btw, since 2010, I've only had one calendar year (2014) when I wasn't admitted to a hospital for something. I'm quite familiar with Heparin and appreciate its benefits.

[Demsrule86]

11. They are using a Heparin drip in the hospital my brother was in.

[Wounded Bear]

6. There seems to be mounting evidence of the blood clotting problem...

this seems to help at least one of the co-mortality issues.

[Jersey Devil]

7. Wouldn't it be wonderful if something as simple as low dose aspirin is effective treatment? (nt)

nt

[CaptYossarian]

9. There's also Brilinta.

I was on that for a year. With a prosthetic leg, I was always afraid of falling and bleeding internally.

[malaise]

13. A doctor recommended a daily baby aspirin over a decade ago

to prevent clots and strokes.