COVID-19 lung damage: Diagnostics and treatment at the primary health care

Abstract

The lecture is devoted to lung damage in new coronavirus infection. The description of the pathogenetic mechanisms of lung damage is given. The characteristics of the morphological changes in the lungs with severe disease and their characteristics are given. Provides information on instrumental and laboratory diagnosis of lung lesions in COVID-19. Particular attention is paid to highlighting controversial and complex issues of managing patients with lung damage in COVID-19 in outpatient practice. In particular, controversial issues of terminology for defining lung damage, the complexity of differentiating viral lung damage and other causes, the complexity of diagnosing bacterial superinfection and its treatment. Aspects of patient management important for primary care physician are highlighted: current treatment regimens for COVID-19 patients with lung damage, the timing of the control X-ray examination. It provides information on the most common mistakes encountered in the management of patients with COVID-19 (over-prescribing radiation methods, over-prescribing antibacterial medications).