FDA warns that this at-home coronavirus therapy that could do more harm than good

[Chris Smith]

• The FDA issued a new consumer update that warns users not to attempt to treat COVID-19 at home using one particular medical device.
• Oxygen concentrators are used at home to treat a variety of respiratory issues that require oxygen therapy.
• COVID-19 complications can include severe respiratory failure that may require oxygen therapy, but it should be administered in a hospital setting.

COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or experience mild symptoms will typically recover within two weeks, and most of them will not require hospitalization. They’ll need to monitor their symptoms while isolating from their family, and they'll also need to follow their physicians' advice for at-home treatment. Monitoring the oxygen while at home with a pulse oximeter device is a good idea, as the gadget can warn you of the imminent onset of respiratory problems. Once the oxygen saturation drops below 94, medical attention might be required.

Doctors may put patients on oxygen therapy and other treatments that are only available in hospitals. But as the number of daily COVID-19 cases reach record highs, some medical systems will inevitably be overwhelmed. Even if COVID-19 therapies save more lives now than they could back in March and April, some patients might need weeks of hospitalization to recover from COVID-19 complications and get off of oxygen and ventilation machines. But the FDA now warns that COVID-19 patients should not attempt to treat COVID-19 respiratory complications using a medical device at home, as the procedure might do more harm than good.

Continue reading...

Today's Top Deals

1. 10 deals you don’t want to miss on Sunday: Black Friday Instant Pot sale, crazy Purell deal, $194 AirPods Pro, $99 AirPods, more
2. This is the single best-selling deal on Amazon’s whole site
3. 3M N95 masks and more are actually in stock right now at Amazon

Trending Right Now:

1. If you live in these two states, you’re now required to wear a mask when you leave your home
2. Researchers found a new coronavirus mutation that’s capable of sparking another pandemic
3. This nasal spray might be able to block coronavirus infections

FDA warns that this at-home coronavirus therapy that could do more harm than good originally appeared on BGR.com on Sun, 8 Nov 2020 at 12:04:32 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Via BRG - Boy Genius Report