People with substance use disorders (SUDs) are more susceptible to COVID-19 and its complications, according to a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health. The research suggests that health care providers should closely monitor patients with SUDs and develop action plans to help shield them

“The lungs and cardiovascular system are often compromised in people with SUD, which may partially explain their heightened susceptibility to COVID-19,” said Dr. Nora D Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). “Another contributing factor is the marginalization of people with addiction, which makes it harder for them to access health care services. It is incumbent upon clinicians to meet the unique challenges of caring for this vulnerable population, just as they would any other high-risk group.”

Read the full study: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/substance-use-disorders-linked-covid-19-susceptibility

Image credit: Colorized scanning electron micrograph of an apoptotic cell (blue) heavily infected with SARS-COV-2 virus particles (yellow), isolated from a patient sample. Image captured and color-enhanced at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland.NIAID