that most cases of oral dysfunction or Paxlovit were “mild” and “ineffective” and that only two participants completed the early drug trial. But as more and more people start taking medication for COVID-19, they’re taking their stories to social media.
Twitter user @AlisaValdesRod1 wrote, “It’s only been a few hours since [first] dose of Paxlovid, but it’s doing something. “” Strong metallic grapefruit taste in my mouth, but my chest tightness is DONE and I can take a deep breath. “metallic bitterness”.
An unpleasant taste in the mouth – technically known as dyspepsia – is not necessarily a common side effect of Paxlovid, but it does occur. According to data from Pfizer clinical trials, about 6% of Paxlovit group participants experienced taste changes. Compared to less than 1% of those in the placebo group.
Dysgeusia and its causes
In addition to direct damage to the tongue and mouth, indigestion can be caused by a number of factors: infection or disease, medications, or damage to the central nervous system.
Infection or illness
Changes in taste have been reported after influenza infection, hay fever, diabetes, heart disease, and other illnesses.
Today, one of the most common causes of digestive upset is the COVID-19 infection, loss of taste is one of the first symptoms many people experience. Research shows that dysfunction occurs in about 33% to 50% of people with COVID-19, though less frequently with newer variants. It has also been reported as a protracted symptom of persistent COVID.
The reason why COVID or other infections cause indigestion is still unknown. Some recent theories suggest how the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 induces an inflammatory response by binding to receptors in the mouth. This can cause changes in taste.
Wound
Loss of taste can damage the nerves and brain pathways involved in the sense of taste.
This could be due to damage to nerves or brain tissue or loss of fatty mucous membranes, which help isolate the pathways used for taste signals. In rare cases, movement disorders can also be caused by brain tumors.
Medicine
Indigestion is a known side effect of medication for certain conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and HIV.
How Dysgeusia Affects COVID-19 Patients
Paxlovid is a combination of two drugs – nirmatrelvir and ridonavir – used together to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 infection. This drug is approved for emergency use in people 12 years of age or younger who weigh at least 88 pounds, test positive for COVID-19 and are at high risk for serious illness.
The drug is prescription only and should be used as soon as possible after a COVID-19 diagnosis – within five days of the onset of symptoms.
Indigestion is described as having a bitter, metallic, or sour taste in the mouth. But what exactly is it, and what happens in the body when it happens?
The bad taste that can happen to Paxlovid can be the result of two things in the workplace. Firstly: “Both drugs in Paxlovit have a bitter taste”, Assoc. Professor Jamie Allen, PhD at Michigan State University. As a result, it becomes bitter when you drink it.
For a lingering unpleasant taste, the drug can stay in the mouth, it can be excreted through the salivary glands, says Allen – this is a process that occurs in other drugs, including saline solutions. IV, and it is not unique to Paxlovit.
According to Omid Mehtisade, MD, an otolaryngologist and laryngologist at Providence St. John’s in Santa Monica, California, MD, who put forward another theory, that the drug stays in the body and thus provides an extra stimulus. “A lot of times, it’s just a drug in the taste-stimulating system,” he says Health. This may be especially true for Paxlovid, because one drug, ritonavir, helps slow the breakdown of the other (nirmatrelvir), so higher concentrations stay in the body longer.
Dr. Mehdisadev has said that oral paxlovid should be a short-term irritant. “This is a new drug and we don’t know for sure, but there’s no doubt that the drug will last too long,” he said. He also says that if you feel the need to try to cover up the taste, swallowing salt water or staying hydrated can help.
What are some other side effects of Paxlovid?
In addition to oral Paxlovid, other side effects, as Professor Thomas Russo, MD, chief of the department of infectious diseases at the University of Buffalo in New York, say were “relatively minor and transient.” Health.
Diarrhea, high blood pressure (hypertension), and muscle aches (myalgia) are the most common side effects of digestive disorders. The data collected after Paxlovid provided the EUA also reported some cases of hypersensitivity or allergic reactions.
Paxlovid may interact with certain other medications and is not recommended for people with severe liver or kidney failure.
If a healthcare provider prescribes a course of Paxlovid for you, it means they believe the benefits outweigh the potential risks. This is especially true for Paxlovit mouth, which is “a small price to pay to be able to avoid serious illness and bad outcomes,” says Dr. Russo.
Source: Medindia
