Pharmacological protection of vascular endothelium in acute COVID-19

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an urgent need to find effective treatment. It is widely known that virus attacks and damages mostly the lungs, but also infect vascular endothelial cells. Therefore, the protection of the endothelium is a promising target in the therapy of COVID-19 and its complications. In this review article, we focused on several groups of drugs with potential to protect the endothelium. The most promising ones are angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, drugs targeting angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, heparins, sulodexide, acetylsalicylic acid, statins, tocilizumab, baricitinib, and defibrotide. Although the short period of trials and the lack of data necessitate further research, endothelial protection remains a promising target for COVID-19 therapy.