The Steroid Drug Dexamethasone is declared as the breakthrough against the death toll of COVID-19 patients. According to the latest research Dexamethasone drug is effective for severe COVID-19 patients.
Researchers from Oxford University said that a low-dose of an anti-inflammatory steroid named Dexamethasone can improve the survival rate of COVID-19 patients. The drug is cheap and widely available. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Dexamethasone as the life-saving drug for severely ill COVID-19 patients.
Those who are on the ventilator the steroid drug Dexamethasone can reduce the death rate to one-third. For those who are on oxygen, Dexamethasone can reduce the death rate to one-fifth.
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According to the research, Dexamethasone is an anti-inflammatory drug. The steroid drug was used in the treatment of allergic patients, rheumatoid arthritis, and asthma patients.
Researchers said that Dexamethasone is high relief for poor countries fighting against COVID-19. As the drug is cheap and easily available, that will help to save many lives of severely ill COVID-19 patients.
After the latest research by Oxford University, Pakistan health ministry also considered the drug as a positive relief against COVID-19.
Zafar Mirza Pakistan’s state minister of health stated that we will include the Steroid drug Dexamethasone in our standard treatment for COVID-19 patients. Zafar Mirza also stated that we have many producers for this drug in Pakistan.
In his tweet, Zafar Mirza stated that we should only use the Dexamethasone Drug for severely ill COVID-19 patients. As the Drug is effective for the patients who are on ventilator or oxygen. He warned that the steroid Drug should not be given moderate Corona Virus patients. As the Steroid Drug Dexamethasone has some severe side effects too, so it should only be given with doctor prescription.
Side effects of Steroid Drug Dexamethasone:
Side effects of Steroid Drug Dexamethasone are divided into two categories, more common ones, and others that are less common.
- More common side effects of Dexamethasone include Increased appetite, Irritability, Difficulty sleeping (insomnia), Swelling in your ankles and feet (fluid retention), Heartburn, Muscle weakness, Impaired wound healing and increased blood sugar levels.
- Less common side effects of Dexamethasone include Headaches, Dizziness, Mood swings, Cataracts and bone thinning (with long-term use)
We can use the Dexamethasone Drug to reduce the highly emerging death rates of COVID-19 patients. We can save many lives who are severely ill due to Corona Virus.