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Pulmonologist Dr. Sassan Rafi warns of an impending health crisis that could be caused by the long-term effects of COVID0-19. According to Rafi, thousands of Americans hospitalized with the disease may have serious health problems in the future.
Severe lung damage from COVID-19
Dr. Sassan Rafi is a pulmonologist who has done extensive research into paralyzing pulmonary fibrosis, one of the symptoms associated with acute coronary artery disease. Thousands of Americans will be at risk of complications long after contracting COVID-19, according to this expert. Patients who are severely ill and need to be on a ventilator can develop pulmonary fibrosis.
This is a condition that occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and then becomes scarred. Fibrosis can be caused by aggressive viruses, including COVID-19.
Injury to the lungs hinders their proper functioning, including oxygen exchange, and can lead to respiratory failure. According to Rafi, many hospitalized patients, even after recovering from COVID-19, may still be at risk of dying from pulmonary fibrosis. For this disease, the prognosis is one to three years of survival.
“It’s a progressive disease, which means you can feel good and the fibrosis will keep getting bigger,” adds the pulmonologist. According to him, some patients may be dependent on a ventilator for the rest of their lives, and others will need a lung transplant. “These patients are a ticking time bomb,” he said. According to the expert, mortality in this group of patients may be higher than in cancer patients.
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- The first double lung transplant in a patient in the USA after COVID-19
- Italy: Europe’s first double lung transplant damaged by COVID-19 has been performed. An 18-year-old patient recovers
We need to look at the far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
Rafi has been researching pulmonary fibrosis for 15 years. He also completed PhD studies in molecular, cellular and systems physiology at the University of California, Davis. He is working on a preparation that would support the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. At the same time, he asks the government to pay attention to the work of himself and other lung specialists. Otherwise, the next health crisis may come sooner than it seems.
“It’s not just about people dying from the coronavirus, it’s also about what will happen in a few years when the virus is gone,” says Rafi.
According to the latest research, 40 percent. Patients suffering from severe COVID-19 develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), which leads to pulmonary fibrosis. At least 20 percent. ARDS cases are severe.
Rafi’s fears seem to be confirmed by previous research. Data collected after the SARS outbreak in 2003 showed that a high percentage of those who survived the infection experienced persistent pulmonary fibrosis and worsening of lung function.
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