The Guardian’s Jessica Glenza with more on the controversial drugs hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin: <\/em><\/p>\n

A new letter published in the journal Nature describes how hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin – an anti-malarial medication and an antibiotic – may increase the risk of “sudden cardiac death” for Covid-19 patients.<\/p>\n

The combination has been touted by Donald Trump as a “cure” for Covid-19, despite a near total lack of scientific study on the safety and efficacy in coronavirus patients. The drugs came of interest after a “misleading” French study, according to earlier Guardian reporting. <\/p>\n

In the letter to Nature, which unlike a study is not peer-reviewed, a New York City doctor described 84 Covid-19 patients’ reaction to a five-day, twice daily regimen of the drugs. The patients’ were monitored on electrocardiogram. Both drugs have independently been shown to increase patients’ risk of “drug-induced sudden cardiac death”.<\/p>\n

Among the patients, nine showed signs of potentially severe heart “malignant arrhythmia” which could increase risk of cardiac arrest, although none had heart attacks. At the end of the study, four patients had died of multi-organ failure, 16 patients were discharged and another 64 remained in hospital at the time the letter was submitted.<\/p>\n

The authors concluded patients on the regimen need to be “constantly monitored” for heart problems.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Updated
\nat 11.28am EDT<\/time>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n