Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
Interesting

What to know about malaria drug and coronavirus treatment

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 07 Apr, 2020 01:45 AM

    Some politicians and doctors are sparring over whether to use hydroxychloroquine against the new coronavirus, with many scientists saying the evidence is too thin to recommend it now.

    HOW IS IT BEING USED?

    The drug can help tame an overactive immune system. It's been used since the 1940s to prevent and treat malaria, and to treat rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. It's sold in generic form and under the brand name Plaquenil in the United States. Doctors also can prescribe it “off label” for other purposes, as many are doing now for COVID-19.

    WHAT'S THE EVIDENCE?

    Some small and very preliminary studies give conflicting results. One lab study suggested it curbed the virus' ability to enter cells. Another report on 11 people found it did not improve how fast patients cleared the virus or their symptoms. A report from China claimed the drug helped more than 100 patients at 10 hospitals, but they had various degrees of illness and were treated with various doses for different lengths of time, and might have recovered without the drug — there was no group that didn't get the drug for comparison.

    Other researchers in China reported that cough, pneumonia and fever seemed to improve sooner among 31 patients given hydroxychloroquine compared to 31 others who did not get the drug, although fewer people in the comparison group had cough or fevers to start with. Four people developed severe illness and all were in the group that did not get the drug. These results were posted online and have not been reviewed by other scientists or published in a journal.

    Finally, the small study from France that President Donald Trump touted as evidence of the drug's benefit is now in question. The head of the journal that published it has put out an “ expression of concern ” about its methods.

    Larger, more rigorous studies are underway now.

    WHAT'S THE RISK?

    The drug can cause heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage. Taking it outside of a scientific experiment adds the risk of not having tracking in place to watch for any of these side effects or problems and quickly address them if they do occur.

    ___

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

    The Associated Press

     

     

    MORE Interesting ARTICLES

    VIDEO: Woman Takes Clothes off in Front of Bank Manager in Attempt to Secure a Loan

    After being refused a loan at a bank in Kazan, Russia, a young woman tried to convince the bank manager to approve the loan by stripping in front of him.

    VIDEO: Woman Takes Clothes off in Front of Bank Manager in Attempt to Secure a Loan

    Apollo Astronauts May Have Found The Oldest Earth On The Moon

    Analysis of lunar samples from the Apollo 14 mission shows that a large impacting asteroid or comet hurtled a piece of Earth rock, about 4 billion years ago, on to the Moon's surface.

    Apollo Astronauts May Have Found The Oldest Earth On The Moon

    WATCH: Woman Drops Baby While Escaping Burning Building. This Man Saved The Day

    A man’s quick reflexes helped him save the life a baby in an extremely scary situation.    

    WATCH: Woman Drops Baby While Escaping Burning Building. This Man Saved The Day

    Uttar Pradesh Cops to Get 400 Percent Hike in Moustache Allowance

    In a good news for personnel of the Uttar Pradesh Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) who have big, twirly moustaches, the UP PAC authorities have revived the moustache reward by 400% for all 33 PAC battalions in the state.

    Uttar Pradesh Cops to Get 400 Percent Hike in Moustache Allowance

    Billionaire Bill Gates Waits in Line For a Burger Just Like the Rest of Us

    The photo was shared on Facebook by a former Microsoft employee, who informed that the picture was taken in Settle and was initially posted in a Microsoft alumni group, which was then reposted by him.  

    Billionaire Bill Gates Waits in Line For a Burger Just Like the Rest of Us

    Amazon Is Selling Coconut Shells For Over Rs 1,300 And Indians Are Stunned

    "This is an actual, real, coconut. Therefore, it may have cracks, dents and imperfections," reads the product description.

    Amazon Is Selling Coconut Shells For Over Rs 1,300 And Indians Are Stunned