Abstract
COVID-19 infection has shown rapid growth worldwide, and different therapies have been proposed for treatment, in particular, the combination of immune response modulating drugs such as chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine (antimalarials) alone or in combination with azithromycin. Although the clinical evidence supporting their use is scarce, the off label use of these drugs has spread very quickly in face of the progression of the epidemic and the high mortality rate in susceptible populations. However, these medications can pathologically prolong the QT interval and lead to malignant ventricular arrhythmias such that organized guidance on QT evaluation and management strategies are important to reduce morbidity associated with the potential large-scale use.
Keywords:
Azithromycin; COVID 19; Chloroquine; Hydroxychloroquine; QT interval; Torsade de pointes.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Aged
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Antimalarials / administration & dosage
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Antimalarials / adverse effects*
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Arrhythmias, Cardiac / chemically induced
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Arrhythmias, Cardiac / epidemiology
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Azithromycin / administration & dosage
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Azithromycin / adverse effects
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COVID-19
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COVID-19 Drug Treatment
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Chloroquine / administration & dosage
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Chloroquine / adverse effects
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Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
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Coronavirus Infections / drug therapy*
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Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology
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Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
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Electrocardiography*
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Female
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Humans
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Hydroxychloroquine / administration & dosage
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Hydroxychloroquine / adverse effects
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Incidence
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Long QT Syndrome / chemically induced*
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Long QT Syndrome / diagnostic imaging*
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Pandemics / prevention & control
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Pandemics / statistics & numerical data
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Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
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Pneumonia, Viral / drug therapy*
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Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology
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Practice Guidelines as Topic*
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Prognosis
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Risk Assessment
Substances
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Antimalarials
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Hydroxychloroquine
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Azithromycin
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Chloroquine