Post COVID-19 condition
ICD-10 U09.9ICD-11 RA02

Treatment of Post COVID-19 Condition with Dyspnea (Respiratory Distress) in Long COVID

Clinical Scenario

This protocol addresses patients with long COVID presenting with dyspnea — breathlessness or respiratory distress that persists beyond three months after a COVID-19 diagnosis and cannot be explained by alternative diagnoses.

Key Considerations

When long COVID patients report shortness of breath or respiratory distress, assessment should account for potential cardiopulmonary involvement, including evaluation for both cardiac and pulmonary causes. Neurological and muscular comorbidities, as well as prior intensive care requirements, are also relevant factors in determining the appropriate care pathway.

Approach

Management in this setting involves a structured form of respiratory rehabilitation therapy, tailored to the individual patient's underlying lung conditions and comorbidities.

The full protocol — including the complete care algorithm and all relevant considerations — is available via the link below.
Instant Access to Structured Evidence-Based Regimens

References

  1. If long COVID patients complain of respiratory distress, heart and lung-related tests should be considered to evaluate the presence of cardiopulmonary diseases (B, IIa).
  2. Long COVID is defined as the presence of symptoms and signs persisting for more than three months after the diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which cannot be explained by alternative diagnoses (G, I).
  3. Respiratory rehabilitation therapy is recommended for patients with long COVID, considering underlying lung conditions, the need for intensive care unit treatment, the presence of comorbidities (neurological and muscular disorders), and other relevant factors (A, I).
DOI: 10.3947/ic.2024.0024
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