covid-19 Flashcards
what are coronaviruses?
family of single-strand positive sense RNA viruses, named for their crown-like appearance under electron microscopy. They can cause respiratory diseases in both animals and humans. Three strains have caused pandemics: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), also known as COVID-19.
RF for severe coronavirus disease?
Demographics: older age, male sex, ethnic minority populations
Immunocompromise: immunosuppression, HIV
Comorbidities including diabetes, respiratory, cardiovascular, renal, liver, neurological diseases
how are coronaviruses transmitted?
They are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted between animals and people
features of COVD-19?
Typically, symptoms appear within 5 days of infection. Symptoms include fevers, cough, anosmia, dyspnoea, fatigue, myalgia, headache and diarrhoea.
Complications can develop early or after several days. Symptoms of severe disease include worsening breathlessness, coughing up blood, cyanosis, cold/pale/mottled skin, collapse and altered mental status
ix for covid-19?
Diagnosis of Covid-19 can be with rapid lateral flow tests or a swab sent for RT-PCR.
Bloods: FBC (may show lymphopenia), U&E, LFT, glucose, clotting, CRP, ESR, LFH, iron studies, cardiac markers as indicated
ABG may show low PaO2, acidosis or raised PaCO2
Chest X-ray showing ground-glass opacity or consolidation
Blood & sputum cultures
mx fo covid-19?
isolation + PPE
mild = conservative @ home
severe = hospital, A-E, O2, remdesivir, analgeia, VTE prophylaxis, dexamethasone
critical = ICU/HDU, NIV, prone positioning
complications of covid-19?
Acute respiratory distress syndrome
Venous thromboembolism
Heart failure & other cardiac pathology
Acute kidney injury
Acute liver injury
Sepsis
Paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children
Neurological sequelae
Secondary bacterial infection
Long Covid
