Corona mortality-reducing drug found: Successful experiment on dexamethasone

(PTI) London, June 16, 2020, Tuesday

Researchers at Oxford University in Britain have found significant success in the fight against the corona virus. According to the research done by the researchers of this university, a drug called dexamethasone has proved to be useful in the treatment of corona.

In the case of Corona, 80% of patients can be cured at home. But some critical patients have to be admitted and some have to be kept on a ventilator for lack of oxygen. The drug has been shown to significantly reduce mortality in patients on such ventilators.

The researchers tested the drug on a total of 2100 patients. They were then compared with 4000 other patients. The results showed a 33 percent reduction in mortality among patients who were given the drug. This means that severe patients with corona can be cured and even saved if treated with dexamethasone.

Dr Peter Horby, head of the research team, said it was the only drug in the world to date that had reduced coronary mortality. He claims that if the drug had been used since the beginning of the epidemic, an estimated 5,000 lives could have been saved in Britain.

This drug is only useful for critically ill patients who are on a ventilator. This drug does not work for patients who have very few symptoms. So if a person continues to take the medicine on his own, there may be harm instead of benefit. Only a specialist doctor can decide who to give the medicine to. But the cost of treating such patients can be greatly reduced if it is used.

If treated for ten days, the cost of this medicine can be barely five hundred rupees. Discovered in 1957, the drug has been used since 1961 to treat certain diseases, including asthma. Being cheap and easily available, the drug can be easily used by poor countries and perhaps even stem the rising death toll.