Hiding in Plain Sight: an Approach to Treating Patients with Severe COVID-19 Infection

David S Fedson; Steven M Opal; Ole Martin Rordam

doi:10.1128/mBio.00398-20

Hiding in Plain Sight: an Approach to Treating Patients with Severe COVID-19 Infection

mBio. 2020 Mar 20;11(2):e00398-20. doi: 10.1128/mBio.00398-20.

Authors

David S Fedson¹, Steven M Opal², Ole Martin Rordam³

Affiliations

¹ 57, chemin du Lavoir, Sergy Haut, France [email protected].
² Department of Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
³ Fyordgata 59, Trondheim, Norway.

Abstract

Patients with COVID-19 infection are at risk of acute respiratory disease syndrome (ARDS) and death. The tissue receptor for COVID-19 is ACE2, and higher levels of ACE2 can protect against ARDS. Angiotensin receptor blockers and statins upregulate ACE2. Clinical trials are needed to determine whether this drug combination might be used to treat patients with severe COVID-19 infection.

Keywords: COVID-19; endothelial dysfunction; generic drugs; host response treatment.

MeSH terms

Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Blockers / therapeutic use
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
Betacoronavirus*
COVID-19
COVID-19 Drug Treatment
Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy
Coronavirus Infections / metabolism*
Coronavirus Infections / therapy*
Coronavirus Infections / virology
Humans
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
Pneumonia, Viral / metabolism*
Pneumonia, Viral / therapy*
Pneumonia, Viral / virology
Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2 / biosynthesis*
Receptors, Coronavirus
Receptors, Virus / biosynthesis*
SARS-CoV-2

Substances

AGTR2 protein, human
Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor Blockers
Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Receptor, Angiotensin, Type 2
Receptors, Coronavirus
Receptors, Virus
Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
ACE2 protein, human
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2