HMS News & Events

Hyperbaric Oxygen Effectively Addresses the Pathophysiology of Long COVID: Clinical Review

Written by Alan Katz, MD, FUHM, FACEP, FAAEM | 2/15/24
My esteemed colleagues and I have recently published a comprehensive literature review in Frontiers in Medicine, titled "Hyperbaric Oxygen Effectively Addresses the Pathophysiology of Long COVID: Clinical Review."

Approximately 50 million individuals are currently grappling with long COVID, leading to a notable decline in health-related quality of life. This number is continually rising.

The objective of our research was to examine the existing literature concerning patients affected by long COVID who underwent treatment with hyperbaric oxygen.

Our study's findings demonstrate that HBOT directly addresses several key aspects of Long COVID pathophysiology, including chronic inflammation, small vessel injury, disrupted neural pathways, and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Our research suggests that primary care providers (PCPs) are likely to encounter patients exhibiting a diverse array of symptoms associated with long COVID. Consequently, referral to hyperbaric medicine for comprehensive management and potential therapeutic intervention should be considered for such patients.

Read the full clinical review here.