French Halt Hydroxychloroquine COVID-19 Trails Over Major Cardiac Risk

France join Australia and Sweden, stating risks of treatment

Amid growing concern over the risks of Hydroxychloroquine, many Healthcare providers are now recommending against it’s use. Australia’s Health Authority is the latest. In a statement underlining the dangers of the treatment, Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) said experimental use of medications such as hydroxychloroquine for coronavirus prevention and treatment was not recommended, The AHPPC notes that there is currently very limited evidence to support the use of medications for the treatment of COVID-19.

The potential risk of the cardiac side effects of Hydroxychloroquine were highlighted by the Mayo Clinic at the end of March.

An article on its website said the drug has the potential to lead to sudden cardiac death in some patients. In a small number of patients it has the potential to lead to a prolonged QTc , which can result in an abnormal heart rhythm. According to Mayo Clinic Hydroxychloroquine blocks one of the channels that controls the heart’s electrical recharging systems.

“This interference increases the possibility that the heart’s rhythm could degenerate into dangerous erratic heart beats, resulting ultimately in sudden cardiac death.”

Professor Émile Ferrari, the head of the cardiology department at the Pasteur hospital in Nice, said that hydroxychloroquine on its own presents only a small cardiac risk. However, when given alongside the antibiotic azithromycin, with which it is being prescribed in combination for the treatment of coronavirus, the risk increases. According to Ferrari, for some patients being treated with these drugs, “the remedy is more harmful than the disease itself”

Michael J. Ackerman, a Mayo Clinic genetic cardiologist, was quoted as saying

“Correctly identifying which patients are most susceptible to this unwanted, tragic side effect and knowing how to safely use these medications is important in neutralizing this threat.”

This, however, isn’t taking place in the field. Ackerman has this to say in terms of actual treatment protocols currently being used.

“Right now, it is the Wild West out there, ranging from doing no QTc surveillance whatsoever and just accepting this potential tragic side effect as part of ‘friendly fire,’ to having ECG technicians going into the room of a patient with COVID-19 daily, exposing them to coronavirus and consuming personal protective equipment.”

Ackerman has huge concerns about how the risks of Hydroxychloroquine have been downplayed, both in the media and by professionals.

“What disturbed me the most was when I was seeing not political officials say these medications are safe but seeing on the news cardiologists and infectious disease specialists say [hydroxychloroquine] is completely safe without even mentioning this rare side effect. That’s inexcusable.”

France has been monitoring its patients very carefully and their observations have led them to discontinue treatments in individual patients. In an interview with the French daily newspaper Nice-Matin, Professor Ferrari said the side effects had already been identified, with some patients having to stop treatment because of the risk posed.

These results and the response from French doctors have been mirrored in Sweden with many hospitals discontinuing the use of Hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for COVID-19. In this Newsweek article, Magnus Gisslén, a professor and chief physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital infection clinic, told the Gothenburg Post he and others at the clinic administered chloroquine “like everyone else.” As of two weeks ago, Sahlgrenska University Hospital has stopped all use of chloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19.

According to Gisslén

“There were reports of suspected more serious side effects than we first thought. We cannot rule out serious side effects, especially from the heart, and it is a hard-dosed drug. In addition, we have no strong evidence that chloroquine has an effect on COVID-19.”

Hydroxychloroquine has been widely touted as a miracle treatment by Donald Trump, but to date the available medical research has been largely conflicting. The original French study indicating some benefit has been widely criticised for poor design, whilst another study suggested it offers no medical benefits to COVID-19 patients. The most recent study, a paper published last week went even further, disputing its claims and finding no evidence of antiviral clearence or clinical benefit of using hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin to treat COVID-19.

What are Hydroxychloroquine and Chlorequine?

Information sourced from Medicine.net

Chloroquine (Aralen) is an anti-malarial drug useful in treating several forms of malaria as well as amebiasis that has spread outside of the intestines. It suppresses malaria infection, stops acute attacks, and lengthens the time between treatment and relapse.

It is similar to hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), and both drugs are under investigation for treatment of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease.

Its mechanism of action is unknown; however, malarial parasites invade human red blood cells, and chloroquine may prevent malarial parasites from breaking down (metabolizing) hemoglobin in human red blood cells. Chloroquine is effective against the malarial parasites Plasmodium vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and susceptible strains of P. falciparum.

Chloroquine is not effective for malaria prevention. Chloroquine is used off-label to treat porphyria cutanea tarda.

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) is an anti-malarial drug used to treat several forms of malaria as well as lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis. It is similar to chloroquine (Aralen). Its mechanism of action is unknown. Malarial parasites invade human red blood cells. Hydroxychloroquine may prevent malarial parasites from breaking down (metabolizing) hemoglobin in human red blood cells.

Hydroxychloroquine is effective against the malarial parasites Plasmodium vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale, and susceptible strains of P. falciparum

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