A study conducted by the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) and published Oct. 22 in the Anesthesia and Analgesia journal looked at the medical records of more than 400 coronavirus patients who were hospitalized from March to July due to complications from their infection. A little more than 23 percent of these patients were taking a daily low dose of aspirin (usually 81 milligrams) either before being admitted or right after being admitted to the hospital to manage cardiovascular disease. Researchers found that hospitalized COVID patients who took a daily low dose of aspirin had a significantly lower risk of complications and death from the virus. Aspirin users were 43 percent less likely to be put in the intensive care unit (ICU) and 44 percent less likely to be placed on a ventilator. They also had a 47 percent decrease in the risk of dying from their coronavirus infection compared to hospitalized patients who were not taking daily aspirin doses.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb “This is a critical finding that needs to be confirmed through a randomized clinical trial,” study leader Jonathan Chow, MD, an assistant professor of anesthesiology at UMSOM, said in a statement. “If our finding is confirmed, it would make aspirin the first widely available, over-the-counter medication to reduce mortality in COVID-19 patients.” The use of aspirin may be helpful in counteracting the risk of blood clots that can form in coronavirus patients. In May, an Atlanta doctor said that 20 to 40 percent of COVID patients in the city’s hospitals were developing blood clots. Then a July study found that more than 31 percent of hospitalized COVID patients ended up having severe complications from blood clots. In general, blood clots can lead to dangerous and sometimes fatal health problems, including heart attacks, strokes, and multiple organ failure. “We believe that the blood thinning effects of aspirin provides benefits for COVID-19 patients by preventing microclot formation,” study co-author Michael A. Mazzeffi, MD, an associate professor of anesthesiology at UMSOM, said in a statement. “Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 may want to consider taking a daily aspirin, as long as they check with their doctor first.” Aspirin is not the only thing that may help your coronavirus case, however. Keep reading to find out what other things may keep you safe from COVID, and for signs you’re sick, If You Can’t Taste These 2 Things, You May Have COVID. A recent September study found that coronavirus survivors had 63.1 micrograms per deciliter of zinc in their blood, while those who died from COVID had only 43. Researchers presented this study at the 2020 ESCMID Conference on Coronavirus Disease (ECCVID). And for more on the supplements you should be taking, find out The 2 Vitamins Dr. Fauci Says You Should Take to Boost Immunity. A study published in the journal American Physical Society on Oct. 2 found that lip balm can actually help stop the spread of COVID. Research found that using lip balm cut down the number of droplets expelled from someone’s mouth by four times compared to non-moisturized lips. This means reducing potentially infected droplets from spread, as well. And for more on how coronavirus spreads, The CDC Now Says You Can Catch COVID From Someone in Exactly This Long. Good news comes for all the glasses-wearers. A September study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that glasses provide a physical barrier that can “prevent or discourage wearers from touching their eyes, thus avoiding transferring the virus from the hands to the eyes.” In fact, researchers found that people who wear glasses are five times less likely to get the coronavirus. And for more on the current coronavirus spikes across the country, here are 10 States on the Verge of COVID Surges. You may want to take more Vitamin D to make sure your levels are in check. A September study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association found that having a vitamin D deficiency makes someone nearly 80 percent more likely to test positive for COVID. And for more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.
