COVID-19-Induced Hypoxia With Accompanying Syncope Event and Traumatic Injury

Abstract

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified the first case of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on January 21, 2020 in the United States. Since its arrival, the virus has caused widespread havoc on the nation as a whole as well as on all individuals. The coronavirus family is not new to the field of medicine. In fact, the viral pathogenicity dates back to the early 1960s, with more information on the respiratory preference and the ability to cause acute respiratory pathology coming later in 2002. The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, causes a disease commonly referred to as COVID-19, which has a well documented course of severe respiratory pathology along with interesting systemic consequences that often complicate the clinical picture. This case presents an otherwise healthy young 35-year-old male who contracted the novel coronavirus, leading to multi-organ hypoxia and triggering a syncopal episode which resulted in physical trauma to the head leading to a minor subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Keywords: acute respiratory distress syndrome (ards); acute trauma care; anti-coagulation; brain hypoxia; coronavirus disease; coronavirus pandemic; covid-19; d-dimer; syncope.

Figure 1. Chest X-ray reveals lung changes characteristic of COVID-19.

COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019

Figure 2. Chest CT scan reveals lung changes characteristic of COVID-19.

CT: computed tomography; COVID-19: coronavirus disease 2019

Figure 3. Head CT scan reveals small right parietal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

CT: computed tomography

Figure 4. Ultrasonography of right proximal superficial and deep femoral vein reveals normal vasculature.