Pharmacologic treatment of COVID-19: Evidence-based update

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose challenges on an unprecedented scale to health-care systems across the world. Mortality from COVID-19 remains low, and survival has improved compared to the early stages of the pandemic. Several new and repurposed therapeutic modalities continue to emerge as a part of our armamentarium to combat the damage triggered by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 virus. It is unclear if the more favorable clinical outcomes are attributable to specific pharmacological agents or improved care overall, as health-care systems attain increasing experience with a complex disease process. This review aims to provide an updated review of various pharmacological therapies that have been evaluated in the treatment of COVID-19 infection.

Keywords

• antiviral agents
• covid-19 pandemic
• interleukin inhibitors
• pharmacotherapy
• steroids