Abstract
Infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, known as COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease-19) was initially detected in China in December 2019, and has subsequently spread rapidly throughout the world, to the point that on March 11 the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the outbreak could be defined as a pandemic. COVID-19 disease ranges from mild flu-like episodes to other serious and even life-threatening conditions, mainly due to acute respiratory failure. These patients are frequently admitted to our Intensive Care Units in relation to acute respiratory distress syndrome. The lack of a treatment based on scientific evidence has led to the use of different management guidelines, in many cases with rapid changes in the applied protocols. Recent reviews in reputed journals have underscored the lack of proven therapies and the need for clinical trials to establish clear and objective treatment guidelines. The present study provides an update on the currently applied treatment, and intends to offer help in relation to daily care, without seeking to replace the protocols adopted in each individual center.