Introduction:
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral disease caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. It results in significant mortality and morbidity all over the world. Though many people infected with this virus experience mild or no symptoms, some experience serious complications and require non-invasive ventilation (NIV) or mechanical ventilatory support. The management of the disease is mainly supportive. Antiviral drugs, monoclonal antibodies, and anti-inflammatory drugs are given in emergency use depending on the severity and risk factors.
What Is Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome?
The post-acute COVID-19 syndrome is the clinical symptoms that continue even after four or more weeks from the onset of the initial symptoms. Most people get better within a few weeks after getting infected by the virus, but some people may experience the following:
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Symptoms that last for weeks, months, or even years.
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Symptoms that reappear after recovery from the disease.
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New symptoms or new health conditions occur within months after COVID-19.
Post-acute COVID syndrome is known by several other names such as long covid, long haul covid, the long-term effect of covid, and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC).
What Are the Symptoms of Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome?
SARS-CoV-2 can affect the body in several ways, causing damage to the lungs, kidneys, heart, liver, and other organs. Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome or long covid affects different people in different ways. However, a combination of symptoms can be seen in people with long covid. These symptoms include:
1. General Symptoms:
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Fever.
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Tiredness or lethargy.
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Muscle and joint pain.
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Dizziness.
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Loss of taste or smell sensation.
2. Respiratory Symptoms:
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Difficulty in breathing.
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Cough.
3. Neurological Symptoms:
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Difficulty in thinking and concentrating (brain fogging).
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Headache.
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Sleeping difficulties or insomnia.
4. Cardiac Symptoms:
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Chest pain.
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Palpitations (pounding heartbeat).
5. Digestive Symptoms:
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Diarrhea.
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Abdominal pain.
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Loss of appetite.
Many people show improvement in their health over time, but with some people, symptoms last for months or even years.
Who Is More Likely to Get Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome?
Post-acute COVID-19 or long covid is more likely to affect people who experienced severe symptoms. However, it can also affect those who previously encountered with COVID-19, either with mild or no symptoms. There is an elevated risk of getting long covid increases if a person is:
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Having a comorbid condition (any underlying health condition such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma).
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Severely infected with SARS-CoV-2 and hospitalized.
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People who are not vaccinated.
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Having multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS). MIS is a serious condition in which different body parts, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, brain, or gastrointestinal organs, get inflamed.
Although long covid conditions are less likely to be seen in children, they do occur in children and teenagers.
How Can Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome Be Diagnosed?
Currently, no specific tests are available to diagnose if a person has a post covid condition. Thus, it becomes very difficult for the physician as different people may have several symptoms that can be due to some other health condition. To diagnose if the symptoms are associated with the post covid condition, the physician will do a thorough physical examination and ask for a detailed medical history. The physician will check whether a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19 previously or has any symptoms or exposure to the virus. Certain blood tests and imaging tests such as X-rays and CT scans of the organs associated with the symptoms can be performed to get a clear idea about the condition.
What Are the Treatments for Post-acute COVID Syndrome?
Management of the condition is primarily symptom-dependent. As it is a multi-system disorder commonly including respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, and digestive symptoms either alone or in combination, the treatment should involve a multi-professional approach:
1. Respiratory:
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If a person notices the symptoms of persistent cough even after recovery, they should consult the pulmonologist (a specialist who diagnoses and treat the lung disease) as early as possible for assessment and follow-up.
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Pulmonary function tests and 6MWT (6 minutes walk test) are done to check if the lungs are working efficiently.
2. Cardiovascular:
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If a person finds persistent cardiac symptoms such as chest pain or palpitations after recovery from covid-19 infection, they should consult a cardiologist.
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Certain tests, including ECG (electrocardiogram) and echocardiography (ultrasound waves are used to detect the activity of the heart), are done to rule out any possible heart condition.
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Sometimes MRI of the heart is also considered to evaluate and assess for any fibrosis or scarring (thickening of the tissue).
3. Neurological:
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If a person notices any symptoms of stress, anxiety, depression, or difficulty sleeping, they should visit a neurologist or psychiatrist.
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EEG (electroencephalogram) and EMG (electromyography) are done if a person is more likely to develop seizures and paresthesia (numbness and tingling sensation), respectively.
People suffering from this syndrome should be motivated to do exercise and meditation. They should be educated on how important it is for them to monitor themselves at home regularly. They should be motivated to seek emergencies when needed.
How Can Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome Be Prevented?
People can prevent themselves from the long covid condition by protecting themselves from getting infected with the virus. If a person gets infected with the disease, they should get tested and undergo treatment immediately. People are advised to get themselves vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as studies suggest that people who are fully vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus are less likely to develop post covid symptoms compared to those who have not taken the vaccination.
Conclusion:
The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 was first found in November 2019. Many studies are undergoing to know why the coronavirus affects everyone differently and why some people experience mild to no symptoms while others have a serious life-threatening effect. This virus and the disease are still very new to the world, and studies are being done to get more information about them. Vaccination against the COVID-19 virus reduces the risk of being hospitalized and dying due to COVID. People should follow the covid protocols along with maintaining hygiene and following appropriate covid behavior in day-to-day life to prevent themselves from this highly infectious disease.
