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Explainer | Dexamethasone: the ‘cheap, old, boring’ drug that could be a Covid-19 life saver
- Researchers have calculated that giving dexamethasone to eight Covid-19 patients who needed mechanical ventilation would prevent one from dying
- The drug, which has been around since the 1950s and is widely available, could be easily added to the roster of current coronavirus treatments
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First, we tried the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine. Then we tested the antiviral drug remdesivir. But new UK research gives the strongest indication yet we may have found a useful treatment for Covid-19.
This time it’s an anti-inflammatory drug, dexamethasone, which has been described as cheap, old and boring.
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Steroid dexamethasone a life-saving treatment for very ill Covid-19 patients, UK study indicates
Steroid dexamethasone a life-saving treatment for very ill Covid-19 patients, UK study indicates
Preliminary results from a clinical trial just released indicate the drug seems to reduce your chance of dying from Covid-19 if you’re in hospital and need oxygen or a machine to help you breathe.
The results were significant enough for the UK to recommend its use for severe Covid-19.
Before we roll it out in Australia, we need to balance the drug’s risks with its benefits after peer review of the full trial data.
What is dexamethasone?
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