Guidance for healthcare providers on newest guidelines for over-the-counter drug treatment of mild symptoms of COVID-19.

Authors

Gage Collamore, M2 medical student, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University.
Mark J. DiCorcia, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Associate Dean for Educational Affairs and Admissions, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University.
Yash Nagpal, M2 medical student, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University.
Lawrence Fiedler, Board Certified Gastroenterologist in Private Practice and Affiliate Associate Professor of Medicine, Charles E Schmidt College of MedicineFlorida Atlantic University.
Michael A. Garone, Board Certified Gastroenterologist in Private Practice, Section Chief, Gastroenterology, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, Clinical Assistant Professor, George Washington University Hospital.
David L. DeMets, Emeritus Halperin Professor and Founding Chair of Biostatistics and Informatics, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Dennis G. Maki, Ovid O. Meyer Professor of Medicine, and Director, COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.
Charles H. Hennekens, First Sir Richard Doll Professor of Medicine and Senior Academic Adviser to the Dean, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, 2800 S. Ocean Blvd. PHA, Boca Raton, FL 33432, USA. Electronic address: PROFCHHMD@prodigy.net.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

3-13-2024

Journal

The American journal of medicine

DOI

10.1016/j.amjmed.2024.03.003

Keywords

cardiovascular; gastrointestinal; guidance; guidelines; over the counter drugs; treatment, mild symptoms, COVID-19

Abstract

On January 18, 2024, the United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) + issued their most recent guidelines for over-the-counter drugs for COVID-19. Specifically the CDC stated that "Most people with COVID-19 have mild illness and can recover at home. You can treat symptoms with over-the-counter medicines, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), to help you feel better." In this Review we consider the contributions of different types of evidence and conclude that healthcare providers should make individual clinical judgments for each of his or her patients in the selection of over-the-counter drugs to treat symptoms of COVID-19. This judgement should be based on the entire benefit to risk profile of the patient. It is our belief that the individual health care provider knows far more about each of his or her patients than anyone, including expert members of guideline committees. Their astute and judicious individual clinical decision making for each individual patient based on all these considerations has the potential to do far more good than harm.

APA Citation

Collamore, Gage; DiCorcia, Mark J.; Nagpal, Yash; Fiedler, Lawrence; Garone, Michael A.; DeMets, David L.; Maki, Dennis G.; and Hennekens, Charles H., "Guidance for healthcare providers on newest guidelines for over-the-counter drug treatment of mild symptoms of COVID-19." (2024). GW Authored Works. Paper 4529.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/4529

Department

Medicine