Posts Tagged ‘COVID-19’
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
Dear Patients, We are happy to be able to share with you the most up-to-date information regarding the widening distribution plans for the COVID-19 vaccine in our region. Please remember that the process of organizing a massive, nation-wide vaccine distribution is a harrowing task, though we can assure you that anybody who wants the vaccine…
Read MoreUpdate on First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine After 16 Days
Dr. Moalemi provides an update after 16 days from getting the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine and checking antibodies. Part 1 Part 2
Read MoreAppropriate Animal Models for the COVID-19 Vaccine
What are the Appropriate animal models for the COVID-19 vaccine? In order to study a vaccine, you have to have an animal model of the disease. Many animals do not get infected with COVID-19 and do not suffer any disease so it would be useless to study them. There are a few models available: Mice…
Read MoreCOVID-19 Vaccines (Current Candidates)
There are currently 159 candidates for the vaccines, 11 of which have already conducted the human trials and 8 have been approved to move forward with further human testing. Moderna – RNA CanSino Biologics – Adenovirus type 5 Inovio – DNA BioNTech, Pfizer – RNA University of Oxford/ Astrazeneca – Chimp Adenovirus Novavax – Virus…
Read MoreVACCINES – Part 1 – Approaches (Platforms) for Development of a COVID-19 Vaccine
To understand the process behind vaccine development, you have to go back to my section on immunology and recall how the body fends off a microbe. Recall that the first line of defense against a foreign entity like a virus is the innate immunity which tries to create a barrier against entry followed by a non-discriminate…
Read MoreCOVID-19 and Heart Disease (Part 7)
Stress induced cardiomyopathy AKA Broken heart syndrome AKA Takosubo syndrome There is a condition known as stress induced cardiomyopathy. In this condition the patient can present with chest pain, shortness of breath and have EKG abnormalities that are classic for a heart attack. Echocardiogram reveals damage to the heart muscle identical to what is seen…
Read MoreCOVID-19 and Heart Disease (Part 6)
Myocardial infarction (heart attack) In my last blogs, I explained that inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) or the sac around the heart (pericarditis) can occur as a result of infection with SARS-Cov-2 . However, the inflammation cascade that occurs with the virus can increase clotting and what is called as plaque rupture. This can…
Read MoreCOVID-19 and the Heart (Part 4)
Myocarditis COVID-19 disease is a highly inflammatory disease that can affect both the muscle of the heart (the myocardium) and the sack around the heart (pericardium). If it causes inflammation of the myocardium, the condition is called myocarditis (myo= muscle, cardio = heart, itis= inflammation). Patients with myocarditis are very vulnerable and can develop heart…
Read MoreCOVID-19 and the Heart (Part 3)
Individuals with pre-existing heart disease Patients with pre-existing heart disease such as history of stents in the coronaries, history of bypass surgery, history of heart attack or stroke and history of congestive heart failure are at highest risk of dying from COVID-19. It is therefore imperative that those patients use utmost caution in wearing masks…
Read MoreCOVID-19 and the Heart (Part 2)
Individuals with risk factors for heart disease Those patients with underlying risk factors for heart disease such as hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, family history of heart disease and smoking are at higher risk for complications with COVID-19 and at higher risk of dying from it. If you develop COVID-19 illness that is asymptomatic or mildly…
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