Hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin combination could be lethal to COVID-19 patients

Abstract

With the advent of COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus and the pandemic outbreak, scientists around the globe are endeavoured to discover therapeutically efficacious drugs against the disease. Initial small-scale trials and studies have demonstrated the possible impact of the antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and antibiotic azithromycin (AZM) unaided or together can be productive in the management of coronavirus disease. However, the latest research stretches on serious implications such as irregularities in the heart electrical impulses, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia including torsade de pointes (TdP), and long QT syndrome (LQTS) associated with the use of these drugs. In the worst-case scenario, higher doses have been lethal to the patients treated with these drugs as per recent reports. To have a closer look over the safety considerations, this review is focused on the latest updates, research, and findings of the impact of HCQ and AZM in COVID-19 affected individuals with an emphasis on the pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors. Besides, this review also briefly compiles some of the major clinical trial case reports which can present evident data related to the clinical application of both the drugs along with its abnormal effect on cardiac rhythm.