Antimicrobial Stewardship Essentials
Choose your antimicrobials wisely. This course will cover common anti-infectives, when to use them, and when they can safely be avoided.
4 CME credits
Infectious diseases
COVID-19 Clinical Guide
By now we’re all intimately familiar with the new coronavirus which has spread across six continents infecting millions of people and killing hundreds of thousands.
In this Clinical Guide we hope to equip you with a basic understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the COVID-19 infection, and its prognosis. Sound good? Then scroll down to see a list of our articles below.
An introduction to COVID-19: The disease
In these articles, we'll introduce you to the pathogen that causes COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We'll review its basic structure, how it infects cells, and how we can use this information to target potential therapies. We’ll then outline the most common symptoms associated with the disease both in hospitalized patients and those in the community. We review the clinical characteristics that increase a patient’s risk of getting severely ill or dying from COVID-19, and how the disease can progress week by week, from the initial onset of symptoms to hospitalization, recovery, or death. Lastly, COVID-19 is classified as a respiratory illness but we know it can also affect other organ systems. So, we’ll look at some of the non-respiratory complications associated with infection in hopes of helping you quickly recognize and manage these potential complications in very sick patients. By identifying and immediately isolating potentially infective patients you’ll be in a position to help minimize the spread of the virus and help contain the pandemic.
Get started with these articles covering the essential information you need about COVID-19:
A general introduction to interpreting diagnostic tests
In the articles in this chapter, we review the essentials of interpreting diagnostic tests. We explain how to determine test validity and summarize how to interpret sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value so that you're prepared to evaluate the results from tests used to diagnose COVID-19.
A look at the current lab tests for COVID-19
In this chapter we summarize the key information about the most common laboratory tests used for diagnosing COVID-19. We explain RT-PCR, (which is the gold standard for diagnosing current infection with SARS-CoV-2), review antibody tests (also known as serology), and, lastly, we summarize the basics of the newer antigen tests which could become very useful in the future. Spoiler: They basically work like a pregnancy test, their results are almost immediate, and if they become broadly available in large quantities, these tests could become a game changer for the control of the COVID-19!
CT imaging for COVID-19
In the articles in this chapter, we summarize the experiences of our special guest Radiologist Osamah Alwalid, a radiologist based in Wuhan, China who uses CT scans to diagnose patients with COVID-19. He and his colleagues were among the first to describe these very characteristic findings in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, so we're pretty excited to be able to share his experiences with you!
Medmastery COVID-19 Resource Guide
If you're looking for a simple video-based explanation of the essential concepts in this COVID-19 Clinical Guide, sign up for a free trial membership to get access to our online COVID-19 mini course and other COVID-19-related course content:
- Acid-Base Essentials
- Blood Gas Analysis Essentials
- Epidemiology Essentials
- ICU Masterclass—Inotropes and Vasopressors
- Infectious Disease Essentials
- Mechanical Ventilation Essentials
- Noninvasive Ventilation Masterclass
