Review
Version 1
Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed
Substance Use Disorder in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Vulnerabilities and Complications
Version 1
: Received: 3 July 2020 / Approved: 5 July 2020 / Online: 5 July 2020 (10:21:47 CEST)
A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.
Wei, Y.; Shah, R. Substance Use Disorder in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Vulnerabilities and Complications. Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13, 155. Wei, Y.; Shah, R. Substance Use Disorder in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Vulnerabilities and Complications. Pharmaceuticals 2020, 13, 155.
Abstract
As the world endures the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, conditions of 35 million vulnerable individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs) worldwide have not received sufficient attention for their special health and medical needs. Many of these individuals are complicated by underlying health conditions, such as cardiovascular and lung diseases and undermined immune systems. During the pandemic, access to the healthcare systems and support groups is greatly diminished. Current research on COVID-19 has not addressed the unique challenges facing individuals with SUDs, including the heightened vulnerability and susceptibility to the disease. In this systematic review, we will discuss the pathogenesis and pathology of COVID-19, and highlight potential risk factors and complications to these individuals. We will also provide insights and considerations for COVID-19 treatment and prevention in patients with SUDs.
Keywords
COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Coronavirus; Substance Use Disorder (SUD); Immunology; Neuroinflammation; Blood-Brain Barrier (BBB); hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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