CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez Reports How President Trump's Risk Factors Could Affect Coronavirus Prognosis
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Since the White House confirmed Pres. Trump is showing "mild symptoms" of COVID-19, others reported he seemed lethargic at a fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey on Thursday.
CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez reports one of the biggest questions surrounding the president's diagnosis are what treatments will he need and what is his prognosis?
While we have learned an extraordinary amount about this coronavirus in less than ten months, it's still difficult to predict how any patient will do - even with the best medical care.
The coronavirus can be far more serious depending on an individual patient's risk factors, including age, gender and existing health problems.
What does this mean for Pres. Trump?
CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez says the first lesson is a virus -- especially this coronavirus, respects no boundaries. Anyone can get infected.
While the president appears to be in generally good health, he has several significant risk factors. Studies show men are almost twice as likely to die from the virus as women.
Also, the president is 74. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say about 80% of U.S. COVID deaths are in people 65 or older.
One other risk factor we know of for serious disease is weight. The president's last physical showed he had a body mass index of 30.5, putting him just into the obese category.
There may be other risk factors we don't know, such as diabetes or other chronic conditions.
This is the president, though. So, doctors will likely use every availably therapy on him, right?
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Maybe not.
"One always has to be careful not to throw the kitchen sink at patients," said Dr. Mark Jarrett, deputy chief medical officer at Northwell Health.
The hospital system has treated nearly 85,000 COVID-19 patients.
"There is some evidence that using multiple drugs may be actually more harmful than just using one or two. So, I think his physicians will look carefully at their options and probably space things out, depending on his clinical course," said Dr. Jarrett.
Early treatment options may include symptom relief, followed by anti-virals like remdesivir or antibody containing plasma from recovered patients to slow the virus.
Antibody cocktails, while promising, are still experimental. Steroids are very effective if the lungs develop severe inflammation, but a ventilator is a last resort as there are now less invasive ways to deliver oxygen.
The president has taken hydroxychloroquine as a preventative in the past.
COVID-19's unpredictability is a wildcard. Some 85-year-olds recover, while some teenagers pass away.
We just don't know where Pres. Trump will fall on the spectrum.
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