Psoriasis and Covid 19 Risk
COVID-19 is the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which was discovered in 2019.
The majority of COVID-19 cases are moderate. Some of them, however, can be serious and necessarily involve oxygen treatment, artificial ventilation, and other life-saving medical procedures.
If you have psoriasis, you might be wondering how COVID-19 would affect your treatment.
COVID-19’s effect on psoriasis, an immune-mediated disease, is currently unknown. This indicates that the disease is caused by irregular immune system function. Scientists are still uncertain how it will affect these people’s treatment.
Immunosuppressive psoriasis treatments can increase the risk of a COVID-19 infection or serious illness from the virus. The consequences, however, are still uncertain.
Continue reading to know more about COVID-19’s possible dangers for people with psoriasis, as well as the steps people may seek to stop their chance of getting COVID-19 and its risks.
How does COVID-19 impact, psoriasis patients?
According to the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF), when a person is not on immunomodulatory medication and has no other underlying diseases, they may have a “minimal additional risk” of contracting SARS-CoV-2 compared to the general population.
Everyone is at risk, however, because the virus is extremely transmissible, spreads quickly, and replicates rapidly. And people who are asymptomatic may pass the virus on to others.
People with extreme psoriasis, such as those on immunosuppressive therapy or who have multiple medical conditions, are likely to be at higher risk of infection, according to the NPF.
Is COVID-19 more highly dangerous for psoriasis patients?
Since psoriasis is a chronic immune-mediated disease, some people will need to take immunosuppressive medications to manage their symptoms.
These drugs will weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 or other infectious agents. Immunosuppressive medications can also increase the likelihood of serious symptoms.
Conditions or drugs that weaken the immune system and cause people to become immunocompromised, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), raise the risk of extreme COVID-19.
The International Psoriasis Council (IPC) recommends that people with psoriasis who obtain a COVID-19 diagnosis talk to their doctor about stopping or delaying immunosuppressive drugs.
However, the IPC advises physicians to carefully consider the benefit-to-risk ratio of immunosuppressive therapies on a case-by-case basis.
People with psoriasis do not avoid treatment until they have an active infection, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation’s medical board.
Is it true that developing psoriasis makes you more susceptible to contracting the 2019 coronavirus or having more serious symptoms?
Every day, we learn more about COVID-19.
It’s unclear if having psoriasis raises your risk of contracting the 2019 coronavirus, which can contribute to COVID-19 growth.
It’s still unknown if getting psoriasis raises the chances of developing a more serious case of COVID-19 after contracting the 2019 coronavirus.
Should you keep taking your psoriasis medication?
Many individuals with psoriasis take immune-suppressing drugs. As a result, they may be more vulnerable to infections. Immunosuppressive treatments for psoriasis include:
Immunosuppressive therapy as it is known. This form of treatment uses medications to weaken the immune system, which helps to relieve psoriasis symptoms. Methotrexate and cyclosporine are a couple of examples.
Treatment with biologics. Biologics are medications that aim and suppress particular immune system components related to psoriasis symptoms. Etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira), and ustekinumab are examples of biologics (Stelara).
So, what do we know right now about these drugs and COVID-19?
A small case survey of people taking immunosuppressive medications like methotrexate and biologics discovered the following:
- In particular, 14 of the 86 participants in the study were admitted to the hospital. As of the date of publication, 11 of them had been published.
- The number of hospitalized participants taking biologics (50%) was equivalent to the percentage of those taking methotrexate (43 percent).
- Individuals taking immunosuppressive medications had a higher rate of hospitalization than the general population.
- However, there is still a lack of information about the overall impact of immunosuppressive drugs on the risk of severe COVID-19 infection. This is a subject that is currently being researched and tested in clinical trials.
What do you do if you have COVID-19?
- If you have psoriasis and test positive for COVID-19, we’ll go over some main points below.
- Actions to take in general
- If you test positive for COVID-19, follow these instructions:
- Stay home Quarantine.
- Take an appointment with your doctor. Tell them you tested positive for COVID-19. Talk to your doctor about your symptoms, how to manage them, and any drugs you’re taking.
NOTE: During the pandemic, several services are providing telehealth appointments in place of in-person visits.
- Make sure to look after yourself.
- Keep track of the symptoms.
- Psoriasis patients should follow strict guidelines.
The International Psoriasis Council (IPC) advises that if you have psoriasis and have tested positive for COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms, you avoid taking immunosuppressive drugs before you completely recover.
This advice is in line with AAD and European Dermatology Forum guidelines (EDF). Immunosuppressive drugs should not be used during an active infection, according to these recommendations.
Our Take
Your prescription and guidance will be given by Elite Ayurveda’s experts. Ayurvedic doctors of the highest caliber will provide you with the most up-to-date knowledge and treatment options. Make sure you’re in contact with the clinicians involved to prevent drug reactions and side effects.
Contact Elite Ayurveda to talk with one of our qualified and experienced doctors about your needs.
