Current research suggests a common type of beta blocker as an inexpensive therapy for shock lung in COVID-19. The new study suggests that metoprolol may reduce pneumonia and improve clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19-associated acute respiratory failure. As mortality rates from this type of cytokine storm increase, it can become an effective treatment strategy, according to the study authors.
Effectiveness of metoprolol against shock lung in Sars-CoV-2
Acute lung failure is a potentially fatal disease that causes lung damage and is associated with severe corona infections. This mostly results from an uncontrolled, excessive immune response to the rapid SARS-CoV-2 replication. The lung tissue is damaged by inflammation and accumulations of fluid in the alveoli, the alveoli, in which gas exchange with the blood vessels takes place. In light of the study results, the research team reports that metoprolol can reduce pneumonia and regain respiratory function in critically ill patients. Such sufferers are under enormous stress and have the strongest activation of the sympathetic nervous system that one can imagine. The release of large amounts of norepinephrine and adrenaline damages almost every organ, including the lungs. Treatment with metoprolol, a beta-adrenergic blocker, at least partially inhibits the harmful effects of these catecholamines in the blood. In particular, the team found that metoprolol reduced the number of neutrophils in the lungs and resulted in less activation.
The study authors found that the administration of metoprolol resulted in a reduction in the number of specific immune cells in the fluid samples. The treatment also reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as MCP-1 in the lungs and IL-8 in the blood. Notably, there were no side effects associated with the drug. The authors conclude that this clinically approved beta blocker is suitable for critically ill patients with shock lung caused by COVID-19. Accordingly, its active ingredient prevents the aggravated pneumonia associated with the disease. Although the results this study are to be confirmed in a larger research work, this latest investigation could be sufficient to test the use of the drug in some patients.
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