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Clinical presentation and management of COVID ‐19
Author(s) -
Thevarajan Irani,
Buising Kirsty L,
Cowie Benjamin C
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/mja2.50698
Subject(s) - medicine , intensive care medicine , covid-19 , context (archaeology) , pandemic , clinical trial , disease , referral , declaration , coronavirus , disease management , infectious disease (medical specialty) , family medicine , paleontology , political science , parkinson's disease , law , biology
Summary The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 led to the declaration of a global pandemic within 3 months of its emergence. The majority of patients presenting with coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID ‐19) experience a mild illness that can usually be managed in the community. Patients require careful monitoring and early referral to hospital if any signs of clinical deterioration occur. Increased age and the presence of comorbidities are associated with more severe disease and poorer outcomes. Treatment for COVID ‐19 is currently predominantly supportive care, focused on appropriate management of respiratory dysfunction. Clinical evidence is emerging for some specific therapies (including antiviral and immune‐modulating agents). Investigational therapies for COVID ‐19 should be used in the context of approved randomised controlled trials. Australian clinicians need to be able to recognise, diagnose, manage and appropriately refer patients affected by COVID ‐19, with thousands of cases likely to present over the coming years.