The coronavirus disease is wreaking havoc on the health of communities throughout the world and may have lasting cardiac effects on those who have recovered from the virus. Early observations show that up to a third of patients who have been hospitalized with COVID-19 have evidence of heart involvement. In an article published online on June 26 in the journal Heart Rhythm, lead author Raul...
States across the country are beginning to roll back heart-wrenching policies instituted when the coronavirus pandemic began and allow in-person visits at nursing homes and assisted living centers, offering relief to frustrated families. For the most part, visitors are required to stay outside and meet relatives in gardens or on patios where they stay at least 6 feet apart, supervised by a staff...
Coronavirus infection rates continue to rise, with the number of new cases climbing in dozens of states and the U.S. reporting record numbers of cases on individual days. Hospitalization across the U.S. has dramatically jumped; some cities are seeing surges that threaten to overwhelm their health care systems. Meanwhile, the demonstrations over the police killing of George Floyd brought tens of...
I am a physician and a scientist at the University of Virginia. I care for patients and conduct research to find better ways to diagnose and treat infectious diseases, including COVID-19. Here I’m sharing what is known about which treatments work, and which don’t, for the new coronavirus infection. Keep in mind that this field of medicine is rapidly evolving as our understanding of the...
One of the big stories emergent from the current COVID-19 crisis is the rapid growth of telemedicine. Hindered in the past by regulations as well as custom, telemedicine has, until recently, only occupied a small niche in the healthcare industry. Commercial and government payers feared rampant fraud while healthcare providers and patients enjoyed the status quo. The current pandemic changed all...
