Question

Research any article pertaining to a current topic in healthcare, briefly review the article and explain your viewpoint on managing the topic. Your response should be 1-2 pages.

Answer 1

Article Reviewed:
NEUROLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS OF COVID-19 : The Lancet Neurology

REVIEW:
This article researches about the pathophysiology, modes of transmission and clinical manifestations of COVID-19 with emphasis on neurological manifestations. The number of patients with neurological manifestations is comparatively small compared to patients with respiratory symptoms. But the high prevalence of the COVID-19 infection makes the total number of patients with neurological disease large enough. The common neurological manifestations include headache, anosmia, ageusia and stroke. The rare but severe manifestations include meningitis, encephalitis, myelitis and GBS. These diseases can cause lifelong disability with potentially large social and economical impacts.
The site of entry of the virus to the brain is through the olfactory system. SARS-CoV-2 virus binds to ACE 2 receptor on the brain endothelial cells to enter into the brain. Damage to the nervous system is caused either directly by the virus or due to the body’s own immune responses. COVID-19 virus damages endothelial cells and activates thrombotic pathways leading to hypercoagulability. Cytokine storm occurs in advanced infections leading to increased mortality due to multi organ failure.
My view point about this topic is that COVD-19 is the most important current issue in the world wide health care system. It has affected millions of world’s population and rapidly spreading all over the world. It is often considered as a respiratory syndrome. But this article focuses on more severe neurological complications associated with COVID-19. The risk of serious neurological complications following COVID-19 infection necessitates the need for preventing spread of COVID-19. Social distancing, hand hygiene, proper use of face mask, immunity boosting diet and healthy lifestyle practices are essential to prevent spread of COVID-19 to large number of people. Thus by reducing the number of COVID-19 infected patients the burden of neurological manifestations of COVID-19 can be minimized.