Dr. Sarah Van Blydenstein

Sarah Alexandra van Blydenstein is a South African clinician-researcher in pulmonology and critical care, affiliated with Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital and the University of the Witwatersrand. Her work centres on respiratory infections, intensive care outcomes, and cardiopulmonary complications in resource-limited settings. She has contributed to international collaborations, including participation in the WHO Solidarity trial published in The Lancet.

Her publications reflect strong expertise in COVID-19, spanning pulmonary ultrasound, right heart echocardiography, histopathology of COVID-related deaths, and diagnostic test validation. She has advanced understanding of lung ultrasound patterns, right ventricular dysfunction, and post–COVID-19 sequelae, with an emphasis on context-adapted rehabilitation and health system responses in South Africa.

Beyond COVID-19, her research addresses chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, vitamin deficiencies, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and acute coronary syndromes, highlighting delays in care and antimicrobial resistance. This body of work demonstrates a commitment to improving critical care practice, strengthening local evidence, and informing patient-centred interventions in high-burden African settings.