CHEST Pulse

As we move into the second year of the pandemic, health care workers and the general public across the globe are struggling to get back to normalcy. In this episode, our expert panelists discuss how to safely reopen clinical practices and how the public can safely engage in health-promoting activities, like exercise and travel, as we prepare for a future beyond COVID-19. (Originally recorded April...

Patients with COVID-19 have an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but the best strategy for the prevention and care of VTE remains elusive. Observational studies have suggested that empiric full anticoagulation in patients with COVID-19 is ineffective or indeed harmful. Recently, however, multiple large platform trials (ACTIV-4a, ATTACC, and REMAP-CAP) have provided surprising new evi...

The past 12 months have brought incredible loss, but there are glimmers of hope as multiple vaccines have received emergency use authorization. However, potential side effects, lack of diversity in clinical trials, access issues, and new COVID-19 variants have created hesitancy among some clinicians. In this episode, panelists address clinician vaccine hesitancy and how to build trust within and a...

This episode highlights key takeaways for the use of tocilizumab, remdesivir, monoclonal antibodies, and other therapeutics in patients with COVID-19 from the National Institutes of Health, European Respiratory Society, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and Surviving Sepsis Campaign COVID-19 guidelines. (Originally recorded March 11, 2021) Moderator: Casey Cable, MD, MSc. Panelists: Barbara...

In this episode, learn when and how to safely perform bronchoscopy and tracheostomy in patients with COVID-19. A multi- and cross-disciplinary panel of speakers will discuss the existing guidelines and consensus statements, review recent publications, and share their own personal and institutional experience. (Originally recorded February 25, 2021) Moderator: Septimiu Murgu, MD, FCCP. Panelists: C...

Managing COVID-19 patients and now immunizing the population has been an evolving problem over the last several months. The challenges facing clinicians and leaders have been especially difficult for those in resource-poor and low/middle-income countries. This episode seeks to highlight those issues while discussing opportunities for success in these settings. (Originally recorded February 11, 202...

Survivors of COVID-19 may have continued health issues—both physical and mental—after their initial recovery. Chronic critical illness, depression, and fatigue are all common and require dedicated care. This episode brings together leaders with diverse viewpoints to help us better understand and prepare for challenges in rehabilitation and recovery and to promote resilience among COVID-19 survivor...

COVID-19 outbreaks are sadly frequent occurrences in long-term care facilities and correctional institutions. Despite their obvious differences, these settings share a key feature: Large numbers of potentially vulnerable persons placed in close proximity, with a high risk for viral transmission. In this episode, our expert panel discusses the different strategies that health systems and public hea...

This episode focuses on the similarities and differences between "long COVID" and other post-viral syndromes for noncritically ill patients, potential management strategies for long COVID, and how long COVID could affect young, healthy individuals. For critically ill patients, the panelists discuss similarities, differences, and potential management strategies for post-intensive care syndrome. (Or...

As the initial doses of COVID-19 vaccines are deployed throughout the world, there is a continued debate on which groups should be next in line for vaccination. This episode features an expert panel discussing the rationale and ethical dilemmas of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan. (Originally recorded January 7, 2021) Moderator: Alice Gallo De Moraes, MD. Panelists: Rick Bright, PhD; Nathani...

In the final installment of this three-part series on what the medical community has learned about COVID-19 over the past year, listen to experts discuss the ethics of care in crisis, conducting research during a pandemic, and how science communications have changed. (Originally recorded December 17, 2020) Moderator: Steven Q. Simpson, MD, FCCP. Panelists: Nicholas Bosch, MD, MSc; Debra DeBruin, P...

In the second installment of this three-part series on what the medical community has learned about COVID-19 over the past year, hear about the evolution of critical care management, respiratory support strategies, COVID-19-targeted therapies, and treatment of venous thromboembolism. (Originally recorded December 10, 2020) Moderator: Kevin K. Chung, MD. Panelists: Richard A. Oeckler, MD, PhD, FCCP...

While much is still unknown about COVID-19, the medical community has made significant strides throughout 2020 in its understanding of this disease, as well as how health-care systems can adapt to better care for patients. In the first installment of this three-part series, hear from clinicians who have spent months on the COVID-19 front lines about changes to systems/ICU organization, visitation...

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the US military has deployed teams to support health systems that have been hit the hardest by surging cases of disease. In this episode, our expert panelists will discuss lessons learned during these deployments, principles for providing care in resource-limited settings, and ways to integrate new teams within existing systems. (Origi...

The management of COVID-19 in certain patient populations requires special considerations. In this episode, join our experts for a discussion on COVID-19 care for patients with autoimmune disease, pregnant women, and patients with malignancies. (Originally recorded November 12, 2020) Moderator: Neha S. Dangayach, MD. Panelists: Paul J. DeMarco, MD; Sharon Einav, MD, MSc; and Jeremy L. Warner, MD,...

In this episode, some of the world’s leading intensivists from low-and middle-income countries discuss the special challenges that they have faced on the COVID-19 front lines, talk about what their countries are doing to combat the disease, and explore the impact of COVID-19 on their flu season as they are emerging from winter into spring. (Originally recorded November 5, 2020) Moderators: Steven...

This year’s CHEST Annual Meeting program featured a wide variety of sessions designed to keep clinicians up-to-date on the latest COVID-19 science and patient care. Listen as a panel of experts discusses highlights, key takeaways, and important insights from the COVID-19 presentations at CHEST 2020. (Originally recorded October 29, 2020) Moderator: Stephanie M. Levine, MD, FCCP. Panelists: Neha S....

Health-care providers in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine face a unique set of challenges caring for patients with COVID-19. Traditional coping mechanisms are stretched and sometimes exhausted. Previously unfamiliar stressors call for a revisit of our strategies to combat stress and fatigue. Learn more in this episode. (Originally recorded August 19, 2020) Moderator: Alexander S. Niven...

In this episode, hear about the various aspects of lung transplantation in the era of COVID-19, including lung transplantation donation during COVID-19, the management and outcome of lung transplant recipients with COVID-19, and lung transplantation for COVID-19-related respiratory failure. (Originally recorded October 8, 2020) Moderator: Stephanie M. Levine, MD, FCCP. Panelists: Marie M. Budev, D...

Strong teamwork is important in any modern health care environment. Health care teams in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine have faced a wide variety of new challenges caring for patients with COVID-19, forcing innovative and creative solutions to support their consistently high performance. In this episode, an interprofessional panel of experienced managers discusses strategies to both...

Infection prevention is not a new concept for the cystic fibrosis (CF) community, but COVID-19 is different. This episode highlights how the CF Foundation, the Care Center Network, patients, and families partnered together in response to the challenges of life during a pandemic. (Originally recorded September 24, 2020) Moderator: Gretchen Winter, MD Panelists: Patrick A. Flume, MD; Albert Faro, MD...

COVID-19 created unprecedented challenges, which led to innovative and expanded clinical services. This episode highlights opportunities in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine with associated coding and billing requirements in 2020 and some anticipated changes for 2021. (Originally recorded September 17, 2020) Moderator: Kim D. French, MHSA, CAPPM, FCCP Panelists: Scott Manaker, MD, PhD,...

As COVID-19 has spread across the world, the ability to understand the spread of the virus in our communities, as well as diagnose the patient right in front of us, has been a challenge. Molecular, antigen, and antibody tests are now widely available, and the FDA recently approved the SalivaDirect test, which offers a rapid and inexpensive option for testing. In this episode, hear from the experts...

In this episode, a multidisciplinary panel of speakers discusses their experience and summarize the existing consensus statements for managing patients with suspected or confirmed lung cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlights of the discussion include: The impact of COVID-19 on standard of practice regarding timely diagnosis and staging Prioritization strategies related to surgery and invas...

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of American life, and postgraduate medical education is not an exception. In this episode, pulmonary and critical care medicine fellowship directors and their fellows discuss the challenges and opportunities, setbacks, and innovations. (Originally recorded August 27, 2020)  Moderator: David A. Schulman, MD, FCCP Panelists: Jennifer Krall, MD; Matthe...