Machine translation:
Under the motto “Understand. Support. Together.”, the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg (UKGM) in Marburg has launched a series of online events exploring the challenges of post-COVID syndrome.
The first webinar featured Professor Bernhard Schieffer, Director of the Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Medical Intensive Care.
His goal was to provide patients, family members and interested members of the public with information and practical advice on dealing with the condition.
The series comprises three sessions.
On August 19, Schieffer explored the limits of current scientific knowledge in a webinar entitled “What Happens in Post-COVID: Questions and No Answers?”
Nearly 270 people tuned in at the peak of the live broadcast.
Two further sessions, scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, and Wednesday, September 30, will delve deeper into post-infectious illnesses and emerging treatment approaches.
…
While scientists are still struggling to understand what causes post-COVID, patients are searching for ways to ease their symptoms.
Schieffer takes a pragmatic approach to treatment, focusing on the early detection of metabolic disorders, cautious use of medication and targeted dietary changes.
According to Schieffer, low-dose metformin could help stabilize glucose metabolism and potentially even promote the elimination of the virus.
In many cases, he said, patients also experienced an improvement in their symptoms.
Certain statins, when used at low doses, can support lipid metabolism and have anti-inflammatory effects.
A low-carbohydrate, gluten-free diet has also proved helpful for many patients.
Short-chain fatty acids and proteins, he said, can serve as important sources of energy while taking into account the reduced physical activity of patients.
Schieffer recommends a Paleo diet.
“They need their protein, but they don’t need carbohydrates.
And if they do eat carbohydrates, they should choose those that they tolerate well.
Hard cheese, for example, would be one option.
Camembert, on the other hand, is not—it just goes straight to the hips.”
The remark prompted a wave of laughing emojis from viewers.
…
General practitioners, Schieffer said, need to work closely with specialist clinics.
So far, however, there has been limited interest in doing so.
Relatively few physicians have recently participated in webinars aimed specifically at healthcare professionals.
“That was also very frustrating for us,” Schieffer said.
Where research is still urgently needed and scientific knowledge remains incomplete, uncertainty is inevitably high.
Nevertheless, Schieffer struck a confident note during the webinar.
www.spiegel.de
