Heparin can’t cure Covid but reduces risks: Health Experts

KABUL (Pajhwok): A number of medical experts agree with articles that heparin ampoule can be used in treatment of Covid-19 patients without any risk.

However, the experts say heparin ampoule does not eliminate the coronavirus but it prevents the danger of the infection.

What is Heparin and is it used to treat Covid-19?

Heparin is used to treat and prevent blood clots. It can also be used to prevent and treat blood clots in the lungs and legs (atrial fibrillation) and other disease with blood clot symptoms.

Surfacing in 2019, the Covid-19 virus spread across the globe and infected millions of people. Thousands have died from the respiratory virus while a huge number of people recovered.

The pandemic continues to threaten human lives, with medical experts having failed to find a proper anti-Covid-19 medicine.

A number of social media users have introduced many kinds of foods and some medicines as Covid remedy.

Rumors: Heparin is less expensive and effective against Covid-19

An internet page “Economy Online” published an article titled “Heparin, a low-cost drug and strong against Covid-19.”

It wrote that according to the findings of a new research; a low-cost medicine can safely and effectively reduce the damage to the lungs of coronavirus patients.

The website said: “Based on the findings of researchers from the Australian National University and University of King’s College of London, breathing and oxygen levels of patients improve by 70 percent after a course of heparin inhalation therapy.”

The article also added: “Heparin is a unique drug in terms of antiviral, anti-inflammatory and anti-clotting effects that are related to the treatment of Covid-19.”

IRNA News Agency also published an article titled “Heparin Nasal spray fights coronavirus infection.”

New studies by researchers from the University of Melbourne in Australia show that nasal spray based on the blood thinner heparin can prevent the infection and spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, another internet site called “Independent Farsi” published an article titled “Cheap drug that limits the lung damage caused by coronavirus”. It said: “Heparin is a cheap and available drug that has anti-virus, inti-inflammatory and anti-blood clotting properties.”

According to new research findings, the low-cost medicine can limit the lung damage of Covid patients in a safe and effective way.

According to this research, heparin, which is a cheap and widely available drug, can be used in the treatment of Covid-19 without any risk and strengthens the treatment options for patients with severe infections.

At the initial outbreak of Covid-19 the sales of Heparin surged and its price doubled

SaboorAfzali, one of the pharmacists in Hotal-i-Parwan area of Kabul (the largest medicine selling center), said after the spread of the virus the heparin ampoule which was used for blood clots surged and its price doubled.

He said: “When the coronavirus spread initially, the price of an ampoule of heparin reached even 380 to 400 afs. Currently it does not have that must sales and its price has reduced.”

Health experts: Heparin does not eradicate Covid-19

Dr. HashmatullahFaizi, a senior official at the Afghan-Japan Covid-19 Hospital in Kabul, told Pajhwok that heparin medicine was used for Covid patients because it prevented blood clots.

He added one of the danger natures of coronavirus was that it caused blood clotting and increased risk of heart attack and this medicine decreased such risks.

“I can say this medicine cannot eliminate coronavirus but prevents the risk of the virus but if the dose of the drug is increased, it may cause bleeding controlling which is not an easy task.”

He urged people to follow the health guidelines issued by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Public Health.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sharafat Zaman, a spokesman for MoPH, confirmed the view of Dr Faizi and said Heparin was used for Covid patients in order to reduce the risks.

He also recommended the people not to use the Heparin without a doctor’s advice and called on the people to consider the virus seriously and observe the guidelines.

sa/ma

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