Continue hydroxychloroquine as preventive therapy for Covid-19: ICMR

While global debate about the effectiveness and safety of Hydroxychloroquine As a preventive therapy for (HCQ) coronaviruses, the Indian Medical Research Council (ICMR), India’s apex health research institute, has found that ingesting HCQ can reduce the chance of getting Covid-19.

The results of three studies by the ICMR led to conclusions and consequently recommendations to extend the use of HCQ as a prophylactic treatment.

A joint monitoring group, chaired by the Director of Health Services (DGHS), and All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), ICMR, National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), World Health Organization (WHO), and experts drawn from central hospitals Healthcare and other front line workers located in non-Covid and Covid areas respectively.

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The drug is given prophylactically to asymptomatic healthcare professionals in both Covid and non-Covid blocks in hospitals that specialize in Covid-19 treatment. Even guards in containment zones, paramilitary and police personnel involved in Covid-19’s activities are given oral medication.

So far, only high-risk individuals, including asymptomatic health care workers, have been given the drug with home contact with Covid patients. This will continue.

The ICMR conducted surveys at three federal hospitals in New Delhi. As a result, among the healthcare professionals involved in Covid-19 care, HCQ prevention healthcare professionals Coronavirus Infected compared to uninfected people.

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In its recommendation, the ICMR said the National Institute of Viral Sciences in Pune found that HCQ reduced Covid-19 viral load in laboratory studies.

In addition, an observational study of 334 healthcare workers in AIIMS showed that 248 patients who took HCQ as a prophylactic for an average of 6 weeks had a lower incidence of infection compared to those who did not. It was

The ICMR also states that it has analyzed previously collected data (a retrospective case control analysis). It found that there was a significant relationship between “number of doses and frequency of Covid-19 infection in symptomatic health care workers tested for infection.”

Regarding the HCQ safety profile, ICMR was associated with nausea (8.9%), abdominal pain (7.3%), vomiting (1.5%), hypoglycemia or hypoglycemia (1.7%) and cardiovascular effects (1.9%). Has been observed. “There are 214 reported side effects associated with the use of prophylactic HCQ,” he said.

Therefore, the recommendation states that this drug should be discontinued, especially if it causes “rare” side effects related to the heart. In rare cases, the drug can cause blurred vision. Therefore, the drug must be administered under medical supervision with informed consent.

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Fact sheet

• Medical journal The Lancet said it found a link between HCQ use and heart disease in Covid-19 patients
• A study published in The Lancet states that drugs should not be used to treat Covid-19 outside of clinical trials
• US President Donald Trump was the cheerer of the HCQ
• ICMR recommends the use of HCQ as a preventive therapy for high-risk individuals

Dose:

• Asymptomatic household contact: 400 mg twice daily on day 1 and 400 mg / week for 3 weeks
• Asymptomatic healthcare and front-line workers: 400 mg twice daily on day 1, 400 mg weekly for 7 weeks

Drugs not used if:

• Retinopathy
• Hypersensitivity to HCQ
• G6PD deficiency *
• Cardiomyopathy
• Heart rhythm disorders
• Children under 15
• Pregnant and lactating women

* A condition in which red blood cells are destroyed in response to certain medications, infections, or other stress