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... Inhaled heparin significantly lowers the risk of death and ventilation in COVID-19 patients while also showing potential against other respiratory infections. With its unique triple-action benefits, it could serve as a powerful and accessible treatment worldwide. ...

The study analyzed data from almost 500 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across six countries. Patients who inhaled heparin were half as likely to require ventilation and had a significantly lower risk of dying compared with those receiving standard care.

Heparin, a drug traditionally injected to treat blood clots, was tested in this study in an inhaled form, targeting the lungs directly. As well as acting as an anticoagulant, heparin has anti-inflammatory and pan-antiviral properties. Earlier research results showed breathing and oxygen levels improved in COVID-19 patients after they inhaled a course of heparin.

The researchers believe the drug could also be useful in fighting other serious respiratory infections such as pneumonia.

Professor Clive Page, Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at King's who co-led the international study with ANU's Professor van Haren, said: "Inhaled heparin is anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-coagulant. There's no other drug that has that unique combination. We know it's only a matter of time until the next pandemic, and there are still COVID-19 patients who get very sick. This is a great weapon to have up our sleeve."

While the findings highlight the potential of inhaled heparin, further development is required before the treatment can be routinely adopted. The researchers believe the drug could also be useful in fighting other serious respiratory infections such as pneumonia, which can be caused by a range of viruses and bacteria. ...

The research is published in eClinicalMedicine and simultaneously presented of at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress in Amsterdam on Sunday, September 28, the leading annual gathering for respiratory research. ...