J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 122(6): 600-605, 2021

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Feature topic

UPDATE ON THE TREATMENT OF COVID-19

The course of COVID-19 is such that cold-like symptoms and abnormalities in the senses of smell and taste continue for about a week after the onset of the disease. Since this period is considered to be a period of viral multiplication, it makes sense to suppress the multiplication with antiviral drugs. In 20％ of infected patients, pneumonia worsens and the disease becomes severe due to excessive inflammation. During this period, it is considered reasonable to use drugs with antiinflammatory effects, such as steroids, to suppress the excessive inflammation. In other words, at present, the concept is to combine antiviral and antiinflammatory agents according to the stage of COVID-19. Antiviral drugs are expected to be effective in the early stages of the disease, but not in the severe stages. On the other hand, antiinflammatory agents are not expected to be effective in the early stages of the disease and are recommended to be used only after the disease has become severe.

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