Clinical Concepts for COVID-19: Pathophysiology and Related Impairments
Presented by Ellen Hillegass and Angela Campbell
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COVID-19 presents a challenge in the post-acute phase of rehabilitation, due to the large numbers of individuals with new cardiovascular and pulmonary (CVP) and critical-illness-related impairments in a system not prepared to accept them. The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 has been unprecedented and unpredictable in many ways—from its infectious nature to the surprising impairments it causes. This is the first course a three-part series that will provide: (1) an overview of COVID-19 pathophysiology, diagnostics, and medical management, along with comparisons of COVID-19 to post-intensive-care syndrome (PICS); (2) considerations for examination and outcomes assessment; and (3) presentation of representative post-acute COVID-19 patient cases across disease severity, with application of interventions. Evidence from other countries will be presented, but due to the lack of published evidence, presenters will extrapolate best practices from research and practice principles with existing conditions, integrated with current case anecdotes.
This three-part course series presented by Ellen Hilligass and Angela Campbell includes
Meet your instructors
Ellen Hillegass
Dr. Ellen Hillegass is a physical therapist with APTA board certification in the cardiovascular and pulmonary clinical specialty. She is currently a professor on the core faculty at South College Knoxville and South College Atlanta and is an adjunct professor at Mercer University in Atlanta in the department of physical…
Angela Campbell
Dr. Campbell is the current president of the Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Section of the American Physical Therapy Association and a professor of physical therapy at Springfield College. She received her DPT from Creighton University in 1996, became an ABPTS Board-Certified Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Clinical Specialist (CCS)…
Chapters & learning objectives
1. Pathophysiology of COVID-19
Current concepts in the pathophysiology and acute medical management of COVID-19 will be presented. Emphasis will be placed on the diagnostic findings and affected body systems, with description of unique characteristics such as cytokine storm, hypercoagulable state (i.e., massive pulmonary embolism), happy hypoxia, distinctive neurological sequelae, and myocardial infarctions in the presence of clean coronaries. An overview of acute-care rehabilitation will also be presented.
2. Impairments Related to COVID-19
Post-intensive-care syndrome (PICS), along with current research concepts, will be described. Current COVID-19 impairment findings from US and international case anecdotes, such as pulmonary responses to activity, activity tolerance, muscle changes, neurological issues (central and peripheral), and cognition and other mental health issues, will be presented to compare and contrast with PICS. Impairments will be extrapolated to function and participation, with discussion of how these patients might present to post-acute settings.
More courses in this series
Clinical Concepts for COVID-19: Pathophysiology and Related Impairments
Angela Campbell and Ellen Hillegass
Assessment and Outcomes for COVID-19 in the Outpatient Setting
Angela Campbell and Ellen Hillegass
Case Studies on Post-COVID Recovery
Ellen Hillegass and Angela Campbell