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Is Dexamethasone beneficial for COVID-19 patients ?

Dexamethasone :

Dexamethasone is a steroid that has been used since the 1960s to reduce inflammation in a range of conditions , including inflammatory disorders and certain cancers.

The World Health Organisation  (WHO) welcomes that the initial clinical trial esults from the United kingdom (UK) that shoe dexamethasone , a corticosteroid , can be lifesaving for patients who are critically ill with COVID-19.

For patients on ventilators , the treatment was shown to reduce mortality by about one third , and for patients requiring only oxygen , mortality was cut by about one fifth , according to preliminary findings shared with WHO.

The benefits was only seen in patients seriously ill with COVID-19 , and was not observed in patients with milder disease.

WHAT DEXAMETHASONE IS USED FOR :
  • As an anti-inflammatory medication , It relieves inflammation in various parts of the body, It is used specifically to decrease swelling (edema) , associated with tumors of the spine and brain, and to treat eye inflammation.
  • To treat or prevent allergic reactions 
  • As treatment of certain kinds of autoimmune disease , skin conditions , asthma and other lung conditions.
  • As treatment for a variety of cancers , such as leukemia , lymphoma and multiple myeloma .
  • To treat nausea and vomiting associated with some chemotherapy drugs.
  • Used to stimulate appetite in cancer patients with severe appetite problems .
  • Also used to replace steroids in conditions of adrenal insufficiency .
HOW DEXAMETHASONE WORKS :

Corticosteroids are naturally produced by the adrenal gland in the body. corticosteroids influence the functioning of most of the body's system (heart , immune , muscles and bones , endocrine and nervous system) .

They exert a wide array of effects including effects on the metabolism of carbohydrates , protein and fats . They help to maintain balance of fluids and electrolytes.

One way that it works to decrease inflammation (swelling) , It does this by preventing infection fighting white blood cells (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) from travelling to the area of swelling in your body.

Taking advantage of the anti- inflammatory properties of the medication , corticosteroids are used to decrease the swelling around tumors .
For example , by decreasing swelling around tumors in the spine , brain , or bone , it can decrease the pressure of the tumor or nerve endings and relieve pain or other symptoms caused by the pressing tumor.

Another way this drug works is by altering the body's normal immune system responses.

Corticosteroids are used to treat certain conditions that affect the immune system such as aplastic anaemia(AA) , Immune Thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) , Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia Purpura(TTP) or hemolytic anemia.
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