It has been over two years since the pandemic spread all over the world, and now there is finally an antiviral medication that works very well. However, it also carries some side effects that affect the sense of taste.
Dysgeusia is the loss or alteration of taste that is a common symptom of COVID-19 and other illnesses. But it is also a common side effect of Paxlovid with some reporting a "horrible" taste soon after taking the drug. But what does Paxlovid mouth really means and how did it happen?
What is Dysgeusia?
Cleveland Clinic defines dysgeusia as the disorder that alters the sense of taste, wherein people with this condition tend to taste foods as sweet, sour, bitter, or metallic.
It is usually a side effect of certain treatments or medications or due to vitamin deficiencies. Pregnant women are known to experience this condition, while people with liver disease and hypothyroidism may also have this. Research suggests that about 17% of adults in the US develop this condition at some point in their lives.
But it has also been linked to the ongoing pandemic as infected people tend to report altered or loss of taste, and the antiviral medication of COVID-19 can also cause this as a side effect.
Paxlovid Mouth is Real
Since Paxlovid received the emergency use authorization in December, it has cut the risk of adults to e hospitalized or dying from COVID-29 by almost 90% when taken during the first few days of the infection. Although, it can make the mouth taste like garbage the whole time they are taking the pills.
Moreover, The Atlantic reports that the clinical trial by Pfizer shows that 5.6% of the participants reported dysgeusia in which most events were mild and only a few discontinued the use as a result. Those who have taken the drug already have also shared the disgusting side effect of the medicine.
Patients would have and taste shortly after they take their first set of pills, which requires two pills twice a day for five days to complete the medication. Some patients reported noticing the change in the sense of taste 90 minutes after taking it for the first time, while others noticed it after waking up in the morning.
What Causes Paxlovid Mouth?
Paxlovid mouth could be a result of chemesthesis, which is a chemical process that is often combined with taste, or just a plain old taste, or perhaps a combination of both.
But as the article in The Conversation explains, the antiviral medication is actually a combination of two medicines: nirmatrelvir and ritonavir. Nirmatrelvir is the main antiviral drug that fights SARS-CoV-2, while Ritonavir is a medicine given to stop the former from being broken down too quickly so it can remain active in the body for a longer time.
When taken alone or in a combination with other medications, Ritonavir gives a bitter taste and causes dysgeusia. Although it is not yet final, some experts believe that this might be the cause of Paxlovid mouth.
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