Hydroxychloroquine is a medication of chloroquine.
Kind of medication with fewer side effects
Brand name was Plaquenil
Super commonly used in Lupus + Rheumatoid Arthritis
A generic medication.
How Does Hydroxychloroquine Works:
Inhibit endosome acidification and prevents release of viral RNA into the cell, the damage caused by the hyperactivated immune system.
COVID-19 virus has spike proteins on its outer surfaces for the attachment to the host cell.
CQ & HCQ interfere with glycosylation of ACE-2 Receptor and block the virus vision with the whole cell.
Therefore, the binding of the virus to the receptors on the cell is impeded and the infection is consequently prevented.
Once both the medication chloroquine and Hydroxychloquine enter a cell, they are both concentrated in the organelle that has low PH, such as endosomes and lysosomes. These drugs increase the PH of lysosomes creating a problem in cleavage of the surface spikes Proteins. Without a cleavage function replication of, and infection by coronavirus are blocked.
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are considered to be Immunomodulators rather than immunosuppressives, preventing T-cell activation.
Side Effects of Hydroxychloroquine:
Common side effects are as follows:
Headache
Dizziness
Rash
Gastrointestinal Upset
Drug Should Be Used In:
Treatment of Covid-19 patients.
As prophylaxis for asymptomatic healthcare workers involved in the care of suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 and also for asymptomatic household contacts of laboratory confirmed cases.
Important Facts & Figures:
Several existing antiviral medications, previously developed or used as treatments for Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), HIV/AIDS, and malaria, are being researched as COVID-19 treatments, with some moving into clinical trials.
In February 2020, according to the statement of US National Institutes of Health Viral Ecology Unit chief Vincent Munster said, "The General Replication Kinetics, General Genomic layout and the biology of the SARS, MERS and [SARS-CoV-2] viruses are kind of quite similar, so in order to testing drugs which target relatively generic parts of these coronaviruses is a logical step".
A favorable opinion, the off-label use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 by the AIFA Scientific-Technical Commission of the Italian Medicines Agency which was taken on 17 March 2020.
Pharmacy boards of numerous states in the US, reported that there were some such doctors who were writing prescriptions for hydroxychloroquine and a related drug, chloroquine, to themselves, family members, and staff.
Demand of hydroxychloroquine rapidly and sudden spikes due to the hospital use for severely ill COVID-19 patients and prescriptions for prophylaxis have resulted in shortages; doctors have expressed concern that patients who have long taken hydroxychloroquine sulfate for other approved indications, like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, will be unable to procure needed medicine.
On 21 March 2020, a tweet by American President Mr. Trump, claiming that the use of a combination of HCQ & Azithromycin has a real chance to become one of the biggest game-changers in the history of medicines.
On 28 March 2020, the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) issued an EUA which stands for Emergency Use Authorization in order to allow hydroxychloroquine sulfate and chloroquine phosphate products donated to the SNS which is known as Strategic National Stockpile, to be distributed and used for certain people who are hospitalized with COVID-19.
As of 3 April 2020, there is limited evidence to support the use of hydroxychloroquine 200 mg for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Some ongoing studies for the benefits versus harms of treatment being unclear.
While its use is not approved by the FDA for COVID-19 as of 7 April 2020, there is an Emergency Use Authorization for such use. Few are also using this medication off label for the disease.
In April 2020, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a trial to assess whether hydroxychloroquine 200 mg is safe and effective to treat COVID-19.
One non randomized trial which claimed benefit has been withdrawn by the journal that published it, while another small randomized trial in China found no benefit.