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Assessment of the tasks performed by Nursing and Patient Care - Physiotherapy students and the experiences related to their professional studies in the defence against COVID-19
32-46Views:96The epidemiological situation caused by COVID-19 has led to a need for help in the health care system for students of health sciences. The aim of our research is to assess the experiences of physiotherapy students in Debrecen during the protection against COVID-19. Using a questionnaire method, we wanted to collect information on the extent to which the students were able to use what they had learned and how the practical experience they had gained contributed to their professional development.
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The relationship between coronavirus and the renin-angiotensin system in the light of the development of drugs to treat COVID-19
58-67Views:140SARS-Co-V of the Coronaviridae family emerged in 2019 in China and soon generated a pandemic.
Albeit COVID-19 did not have as high death toll as some earlier pandemics, the severity and course of
disease proved to be unpredictable if factors related to general health and case history of patients were
considered. Thus COVID-19 due to its potentially fatal outcome and unpredictability demanded protective measures to be taken that were not sustainable in the long run (e.g. quarantining masses of people) during the early course of the pandemic (prior to the availability of vaccination and medications).
Nonetheless, the vaccine for COVID-19, albeit showed efficacy, failed to reach the level of protection the
former vaccines for other communicable diseases did. Additionally, available pharmaceutical treatmentregimens were not efficacious enough in preventing fatal outcome or long-term complications. These
facts underscore the necessity of initiatives that seek future avenues for drug development, with special emphasis being placed on repositioning of medications with well-established use. Upon reviewing
available scientific evidence four potential approaches may be identified that if repositioned could be
evaluated as anti-COVID-19 agents: 1.) manipulating the a renin-angiotensin system by the use of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs); 2.) inhibiting the
binding between human ACE2 enzyme and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by N-acetylcysteine, or possibly
quercetin; 3.) increasing the activity of ACE2 using ibuprofen; 4.) administration of prebiotics, probiotics
or tryptophan to normalize SARS-CoV-2 induced dysbiotic changes of the microbiome.