Coronavirus Education

Coronavirus Education


Ep. 23 - Coronavirus: To Ventilate or NOT to Ventilate - a Life or Death Issue

April 08, 2020

If you are hospitalized for COVID-19 from the coronavirus, how you are treated will be a life or death matter. We are learning from Italian and Chinese researchers and doctors that COVID-19 may present with symptoms in 2 very different ways. They are called Type-L pneumonia for blood hypoxia-driven disease, and Type-H pneumonia for lung pneumonia-driven disease. The type you have should, but may not, dictate treatment. Currently, some medical professionals believe that treating the “hypoxia” syndrome of COVID-19 with a high-pressure ventilator is wrong and may do more harm than good. Known the differences between the 2 types of severe COVID-19 symptoms and make sure any hospital or ICU you go to, if you have the disease, also knows the difference and will apply different treatments based on symptoms. Most hospital ERs and ICUs will be using ventilators only so consider calling facilities near you to see if they also use high concentration of oxygen without high pressure, under appropriate circumstances.