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What are the main complications that can occur due to Covid-19?
COVID-19 is not just a respiratory disease. It can affect many different systems in the body. Let's take a look at the main complications that can occur.| Complication | A simple explanation |
|---|---|
| Acute Respiratory Failure | The lungs are unable to provide the blood with the oxygen it needs or remove carbon dioxide from the blood. This is the main cause of COVID-19 deaths. |
| Severe Pneumonia | The air sacs in both lungs become swollen and filled with fluid and pus, making it very difficult to breathe. |
| Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) | The lungs are severely damaged and fluid leaks out, preventing the blood from getting enough oxygen. This requires a ventilator. |
| Organ Damage | Acute liver injury, acute cardiac injury, and acute kidney injury. |
| Blood Clots | Disturbances in the body's blood clotting system (DIC), which can cause abnormal blood clots in the legs (DVT), lungs (PE), and elsewhere. |
| Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) | A serious condition that can affect children and young people, causing swelling in various parts of the body. |
Let's look at these situations in a little more detail.
Effects on the lungs
The main cause of death from COVID-19 is lung damage. Think about it, when pneumonia develops, the small air sacs in the lungs become inflamed, making it very difficult to breathe. When you examine the lungs of severe COVID-19 patients, you can see that they are filled with fluid and pus.When this condition becomes more severe, it leads to a condition called ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) . Here, the lungs are so damaged that the blood is unable to receive oxygen . This is when the help of an artificial breathing machine (ventilator) is needed to save life.
Damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys
Covid-19 is not a disease limited to the lungs.- Acute Liver Injury: The liver is the most commonly injured organ after the lungs. It is not yet clear whether this is caused by the virus itself or by the stress on the body caused by the illness. However, this is a life-threatening emergency.
- Acute Cardiac Injury: Many hospitalized COVID patients have also reported cardiac symptoms such as arrhythmias. Sometimes, even after recovery from COVID-19, inflammatory conditions of the heart muscle, such as myocarditis, can occur.
- Acute Kidney Injury: This is a relatively uncommon condition, but it can be very serious if it occurs. If the kidneys stop working, dialysis may be required to remove waste products from the body. Sometimes, this damage may not heal completely and may develop into Chronic Kidney Disease .
Blood clots and other serious conditions
Another dangerous complication of Covid-19 is blood clots.- Blood Clots : A COVID patient is at higher risk of developing blood clots than a normal flu patient. These can form in the veins of the legs (Deep Vein Thrombosis - DVT ), in the lungs (Pulmonary Embolism - PE), or in the arteries.
- DIC condition: DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation) is a serious condition in which the blood clotting system is completely disrupted. This can lead to internal bleeding or organ failure.
- Septic Shock: Sepsis is when the body goes into overdrive in response to an infection and begins to damage organs. If this is not controlled, blood pressure can drop too low, leading to septic shock and even death.
- Secondary Infections: When the body is weakened from fighting COVID-19, another bacterial infection (e.g., strep, staph) can develop. This also increases the risk.
Let's also learn about children and long-term effects.
Multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)
Although children are generally not seriously affected by COVID-19, some children have developed a condition called MIS-C (Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children) . This includes symptoms such as fever, stomach pain, vomiting, and skin rashes. This is a serious condition similar to Kawasaki disease that requires immediate medical attention.Long COVID
Some people may have symptoms that persist for months after recovering from COVID-19. We also call this 'Long COVID' or Chronic Fatigue.- Extreme fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating or 'brain fog'
- Body pain
- Dizziness
💡 Take-Home Message
- Although COVID-19 is a mild illness for most people, some can develop serious, life-threatening complications.
- People with other diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and the elderly, are at higher risk of developing these complications.
- Damage to the lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys, as well as blood clots, are among the main complications.
- Always be aware of warning signs such as difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain, confusion, and bluish lips or face.
- If you have any doubts or serious symptoms, do not waste time and immediately see your doctor or go to the Emergency Department (ETU) of the nearest hospital.
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