These findings indicate the necessity for focused rehabilitation programs to manage the effects of chronic heart and lung difficulties in women with lasting COVID-19 related symptoms, given the higher prevalence of age-related physical impairment among women compared to men.
The effects of Covid-19 remains for a longer period on the body, and in women, the effects of the same can be overcome with the help of a specialized therapy which is an opinion of a group of experts that carried out a study recently.
Women With Extended COVID Require Specialized Therapy
As per the group, the long-term symptoms of Covid-19 among women can be removed, but the same must be done with the help of a special therapy that is designed by specialists and proven as grand support to such patients.
Women with a lengthy COVID have erratic heart rates in response to physical exertion, which can limit exercise not only tolerance but also free-living physical activities.
Physiologists from Indiana University Bloomington, Drs. Stephen J. Carter and Marissa N. Baranauskas report substantial differences in heart rate responses to and recovery from a 6-minute walk test in women several months after mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to non-infected controls.
Women who reported shortness of breath or joint/muscle aches at the time of testing attained a lower percentage of the expected 6-minute walk test distance than controls and SARS-CoV-2 participants who were not experiencing such symptoms.
Although male sex is linked to greater COVID-19 symptom severity and mortality, new research suggests that women may be more vulnerable to lung-related restrictions months after recovery.
The control and experimental groups were matched for age and BMI, allowing researchers to be more confident that the current findings were due to extended COVID syndrome rather than underlying disparities due to age or obesity.
A control group of women who had never tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 was subsequently recruited and matched to participants in the SARS-CoV-2 group based on age and BMI. Women with a history of significant lung disease (e.g., COPD, emphysema), heart disease, or who had smoked or used tobacco products in the previous six months were not eligible to participate.
Participants at Indiana University—Bloomington School of Public Health conducted a set of standard lung function tests and a 6-minute walk test on the same day, all following American Thoracic Society / European Respiratory Society standards.
Women outweigh males 3:1 in seeking treatment for persistent symptoms following a positive COVID-19 diagnosis, according to hospital admissions data from the Mayo Clinic Proceedings. However, no research has been done on the impact of these chronic anomalies on physical functioning in people recovering from mild-to-moderate COVID-19. Drs. Carter and Baranauskas looked at women in Indiana who had a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic test at least one month after their acute sickness.
Before the 6-minute walk test, participants’ resting heart rates, blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, and ratings of reported shortness of breath were obtained after at least 10 minutes of seated rest. During the test, participants were told to walk as far as they could, but no extra incentive was given.
The probability of undiscovered lung or cardiac problems that existed previous to a SARS-CoV-2 infection cannot be determined due to the retrospective aspect of this study. It’s also likely that some of the people in the control group had an asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Commenting on the study, Dr. Stephen J. Carter said, “Given the greater prevalence of age-related physical disability in women, as compared to men, our findings show that a targeted rehab program might be especially useful to women and other groups affected by persistent COVID-19 symptoms—thus promoting recovery and minimizing susceptibility for deteriorating physical condition.”
