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It's Too Early To Determine Long-Term Effects Of President Trump's COVID-19 Treatment Drugs, Doctor Says

October 5, 2020 / 6:24 PM EDT / CBS Baltimore

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BETHESDA, Md. (WJZ) -- Over the last few days, doctors have slowly revealed more details about the medications that are being used on President Trump.

Trump revealed on Twitter early Friday morning he and First Lady Melania Trump both tested positive for COVID-19. Friday evening, the president headed to Walter Reed in Bethesda for treatment.

The president has a team of experienced doctors, including at least one based at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. WJZ spoke with a critical care doctor who is not involved with the president's care. He said it's still too early to determine how these different drugs will affect the president in the long term.

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The medications include Remdesivir, Dexamethasone and an experimental antibody cocktail.

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"None of these individual treatments can really pinpoint exactly where you are and your course of treatment," said Dr. Kinjal Sheth, chief of critical care at Northwest Hospital in Randallstown.

BETHESDA, MD - OCTOBER 04: In this handout provided by The White House, President Donald Trump participates in a phone call with Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley in his conference room at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on October 4, 2020 in Bethesda, Maryland. Chief of Staff Mark Meadows (not pictured) is also present in the room on the call. (Photo by Tia Dufour/The White House via Getty Images)

Dr. Sheth explained Remdesivir could cut the length of time the president is sick. Dexamethasone on the other hand, is a steroid that's intended to prevent his immune system from going into overdrive.

"It can affect a lot of different things and so it sets off a whole huge inflammation cascade, which is why we've had patients who had cardiac issues, neurological issues and the steroids are hopefully able to brunt some of that inflamation," Dr. Sheth said.

Johns Hopkins physician Dr. Brian Garibaldi is on the president's treatment team.

When the president leaves the hospital, Dr. Sheth said his battle against COVID-19 doesn't end there.

"...is that it's a very fluid thing, one day they are doing well and the next day they are doing worse. And even sometimes when you're well enough to be discharged from the hospital, you can have long term other effects," Dr. Sheth said.

As for the balance with the president's privacy versus the public's right to know, Dr. Sheth said if there's information that could affect his ability to lead, the public has the right to know. Anything beyond that is off-limits.

For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.