Extreme fatigue, poor work performance, loss of concentration and memory, among other symptoms, could be signs of the Long COVID, a condition that affects between 10 % and 35 % of infected people and can manifest itself with more than 200 different symptoms. In order to better understand this disease and strengthen its clinical approach, the Universidad Espiritu Santo (UEES) and the University of Miami held a discussion with national and international specialists.
“The general practitioner cannot approach this type of patient alone; support from the physical therapist, pulmonologist, neurologist and cardiologist is required,” said Leonardo Tamariz, a specialist in Internal Medicine at the University of Miami.
For his part, pulmonologist Iván Cherrez explained that “patients who cannot stand for long periods of time because they get dizzy, their blood pressure drops or they have frequent digestive disorders could be suffering from Long COVID”.
In the neurological field, “mental fog” and sleep disorders are also a cause for concern. “If we don't get to the deep stages of sleep, we accumulate abnormal proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease. We are not talking about something immediate, but if we do not sleep well for years, we could be more exposed to developing it,” added Guillermo Intriago, a neurologist.
Within the framework of this meeting at UEESCLINIC, the following was established the Long COVID Unit, a pioneering space in the country dedicated to the comprehensive care of patients with persistent symptoms following COVID-19 infection. In cooperation with the University of Miami, this initiative seeks to investigate the disease in depth and improve the quality of life of those who suffer from it.
