Doctors are constantly discovering how the coronavirus impacts organs in the body. COVID-19 can harm the lungs and negatively impact pulmonary health in the long run. Covid-19 affects the lungs primarily, but it also harms other organs in the body. For example, many COVID-19 infections induce cardiac damage, which can lead to heart failure or heart attacks. As a result of acute infections or strokes, it is becoming increasingly clear that potentially fatal consequences impact not only the heart but also the kidneys and the brain. The best lung specialist in Mumbai will help you learn more about COVID-19 and how it affects the lungs during and after acute sickness.
How does COVID-19 affect the lungs?
The lungs are the main organs of the body impacted by COVID-19. The new coronavirus quickly invades cells in our respiratory system in the early stages of illness.
COVID-19 infection can cause mild to severe illness, or it can be asymptomatic in many situations. Symptoms such as cough and shortness of breath, among others, might appear unexpectedly. Severe illness can lead to a variety of problems that necessitate medical attention from the best lung specialist in Mumbai.
Gas exchange in the alveolus is a serious problem with COVID-19. The capillary and the alveolar epithelium usually have a very close relationship. COVID-19 works by infecting epithelial cells, killing them, and flooding the alveolus with viral particles. Microthrombosis has also been discovered, which could restrict the vascular side. This might manifest clinically as severe bronchopneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or sepsis.
- Pneumonia is an inflammation and fluid buildup in the lungs that makes breathing difficult. Patients may have shortness of breath, fevers, and a strong cough.
- ARDS is a severe inflammation that requires extensive treatment, including the use of oxygen therapies. They include mechanical ventilation or even extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, a lung bypass machine that oxygenates the blood. If a patient becomes serious, it can result in long-term lung problems, including fibrosis.
- Sepsis is an infection-related condition characterized by abnormal inflammation. It causes various organs and organ systems to work in a disorganized manner. This disease can necessitate the support of failing organs, which can impact their functionality long-term.
Long Term lung damage from COVID-19
The best lung specialist in Mumbai provides efficient treatments that help in minimizing the amount of initial damage, reducing the severity, etc. Your lung function can improve depending on the amount of pulmonary inflammation and damage, as well as duration and heredity. Similar to pneumonia, individuals’ lung function can improve with time. Studies tracking patients who developed pulmonary fibrosis after exposure to the SARS and MERS strains of coronaviruses found that lung lesions faded in the first year after recovery. For severe inflammation, there is a chance of developing lung fibrosis. Chronic inflammation is the primary cause of pulmonary fibrosis, as it can cause epithelial damage and fibroblast activation.
People with persistent lung diseases have a greater risk for severe COVID-19 and pneumonia. Following are some of the conditions that leave a person immunocompromised:
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Asthma
- Pulmonary fibrosis
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Cystic fibrosis
How does COVID-19 affect other organs?
Although COVID-19 is a disease that mostly affects the lungs, it can also harm other organs such as the heart, kidneys, and brain. Organ damage may result in long-term health problems after COVID-19 infection. Long-term breathing problems, heart complications, Guillain-Barre syndrome (temporary paralysis) and kidney damage, stroke, are all possible long-term health impacts in some people.
- Effects of COVID-19 on the kidneys
People with diabetes and chronic kidney disease are the most vulnerable to acute kidney injury from COVID-19.
- Effects of COVID-19 on the Pancreas
People with diabetes are no more likely than others to contract COVID-19, but they have a higher risk of serious consequences.
- Effects of COVID-19 on the heart
As discussed before, the body’s immune response to COVID-19 may pose the greatest risk to those with pre-existing issues. Doctors are finding a wide range of cardiac damage caused by the virus.
- Effects of COVID-19 on the brain
Neurologists are noting COVID-19’s impact on the brain all over the world. The symptoms range from dizziness to loss of sense and smell, and in severe cases, even strokes.
Conclusion
COVID-19 has several long-term consequences that are still unclear. Much remains unknown regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19, but ongoing research will help us shed some light on this matter. After recovering from COVID-19, many medical centers are creating specialist clinics to treat people who have persistent symptoms or illnesses even after the COVID strain is no longer active in the body. It is vital to remember that most patients infected with COVID-19 recover rapidly. However, because of the long-term consequences of COVID-19, the best lung specialist in Mumbai says that it is even more critical to prevent COVID-19 from spreading by taking safeguards. Avoiding crowds, vaccinating, completing both doses, wearing masks all the time, social distancing, keeping hands clean are all precautions to take.