Management of COVID-19 in intensive care units

Abstract

Coronavirus disease‑2019 (COVID‑19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome‑coronavirus‑2had already affected the whole world before the pandemic could be prevented and resulted inchallenges to the development of an efficacious drug treatment. Intensive care admission is lower thanthe SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome-CoV pandemics, although the rapid developmentand simultaneous contagion in society resulted in feasibility problems associated with intensive careunits. The disease results in severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cardiogenicshock, or multiorgan failure, causing mainly lung and myocardial damage. Decreasing the viralload and providing supportive treatment for organ failures are the main principles of treatment insuch patients. One should take care to decrease the risk of transmission of the disease to the stuffproviding care and treating patients in the intensive care unit. Precautions should be applied to thegreatest extent possible, especially during aerosol‑producing interventions.