Trump Praised 'Hydroxychloroquine', "Risk of Arrhythmia When Administered for COVID-19"

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] A study has found that the treatment drug 'Hydroxychloroquine,' developed as a malaria treatment and highly praised by U.S. President Donald Trump as a treatment for the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), may cause side effects that increase the risk of arrhythmia when administered to COVID-19 patients.

On the 3rd (local time), according to the British Daily Mail, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, a clinical training hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School, announced research results showing that the use of hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients can cause arrhythmia side effects and is very dangerous for patients with underlying heart conditions. The paper was published in 'JAMA Cardiology,' issued by the American Medical Association on the same day.

Dr. Nicholas J. Mercuro, co-author of the study, explained, "Patients with underlying heart conditions do not experience uniform effects from COVID-19, and since the COVID-19 virus can attack the heart itself, arrhythmia is a very concerning outcome," adding, "The administration of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 treatment should still be limited to clinical trials." The research team examined 90 adult patients who were hospitalized and received hydroxychloroquine treatment for more than one day from March 1 to April 7. Among the patients treated, 10 were found to have an increased risk of arrhythmia. In patients prescribed the antibiotic azithromycin along with hydroxychloroquine, about 35% showed arrhythmia, and some patients experienced a fatal cardiac tachyarrhythmia called 'polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.'

These drugs are expected to cause controversy as President Trump had previously stated that they could have a positive effect on COVID-19. On the 21st of last month, President Trump tweeted that "using hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin together could be the biggest game changer ever." Consequently, sales of the two drugs at pharmacies in the U.S. increased more than 100 times.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.