Dysphagia in COVID-19 times
Main Article Content
Keywords
dysphagia, swallowing, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2
Abstract
Patients with COVID-19 may present feeding difficulties due to different factors, like the increase in respiratory effort, use of ventilatory support devices, neurological compromi- se and post-extubation dysphagia. Clinical evaluation is essential, but it must be carried out with caution and using personal protection elements, since it is an aerosol-generating procedure, as well as the instrumental evaluation by videofluoroscopy and fiberoptic endos- copic evaluation of swallowing. Treatment should be based on adapted clinical evaluation, for both outpatients and hospitalized patients, and should include nutritional treatment, compensatory management and periodic clinical follow-up to avoid the consequences of oropharyngeal dysphagia and decrease the rate of aspiration pneumonia major cause of morbidity and mortality.
