Posted on 05/14/2020 7:58:59 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
PLAIN CITY, Ohio — The anti-malaria medication, hydroxychloroquine, is under the microscope in a clinical trial after making national headlines.
Last week, the FDA warned against using the drug outside a hospital setting or clinical trial citing heart risk concerns.
The drug has been widely touted by President Donald Trump as a coronavirus game changer.
It has not been a proven medication to treat COVID-19 and one VA hospital study found there’s no benefit and more deaths in using the drug among veterans hospitalized with the disease.
Damea Alexander decided to give hydroxychloroquine a try after he got sick last month.
“I didn’t think this was the regular flu that goes around,” said Alexander.
It was March 17 when Alexander, a husband and father of four, started to not feel well.
He said he had mild symptoms at first that progressively got worse.
“The night sweats were just horrible. I could just feel water dripping off of me like nothing I ever had before,” said Alexander.
Alexander has mild asthma and he struggled under COVID-19’s grip to catch his breath even when walking through his house.
“It really affected my lungs. I had some pretty severe asthma attacks during this,” said Alexander.
His doctor is Plain City family physician, Steven Tornik.
Dr. Tornik treated ten COVID-19 patients in this pandemic, mostly medical professionals.
“We’ve had some in their late 20’s, 30’s to some elderly patients,” said Dr. Tornik.
Dr. Tornik prescribed hydroxychloroquine combined with azithromycin to half of those patients.
“Some we treated at 48 hours, some we treated at two weeks,” said Dr. Tornik.
He said the results surprised him.
“About 70 percent to 80 percent improvement in 24 hours and then gradual improvement over the next few days,” said Dr. Tornik.
Alexander was his first patient to try it after a long conversation.
“I wanted to give it a shot number one because we had nothing else we could do and he was not doing well so he wanted in a way to be a guinea pig,” said Dr. Tornik.
6 On Your Side asked Alexander if he was nervous.
“Definitely, yeah, I mean whenever you try a new medication whenever you take a new medication we all know that medications come with risks but they also come with benefits as well,” said Alexander.
Alexander’s confidence comes from his 25 years as a nurse.
Right now, he does clinical research on drugs and their effects.
He had been reading up on hydroxychloroquine before he got sick.
“That definitely helped. It may have given me an edge on the layperson that might not have that background but even if I didn’t, I trusted my doctor,” said Alexander.
Alexander has no idea where he contracted the deadly virus.
“Four weeks prior to that I was in six states and on 12 flights,” said Alexander.
His COVID-19 test came back positive March 22, five days after showing symptoms.
“It wasn’t resolving, it felt like things were getting worse.
The next day, he began his 5-day course of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin.
“It’s on an individual basis but if they didn’t have any issues or anything that was contraindicated to taking those medications yeah I would definitely recommend it,” said Alexander.
The FDA issued a warning last week against using hydroxychloroquine without strict supervision in a hospital or clinical trial citing a risk for heart rhythm problems.
Dr. Anish Amin specializes in heart rhythm disorders at OhioHealth.
“Drugs like hydroxychloroquine interfere with the heart’s ability to recharge after each heartbeat; this is of particular consequence in patients who are susceptible to having arrhythmias already or we put them in situations that make them more susceptible,” said Dr. Amin, OhioHealth Cardiac Electrophysiologist.
Dr. Amin said everyday antibiotics or anti-nausea medications can increase the risk for some patients.
“I would say in a hospital setting at least at OhioHealth we’ve taken a stance alongside our infectious disease experts to limit the use of hydroxychloroquine or other agents that fall into this category with the exception of those patients participating in a clinical trial,” said Dr. Amin.
Dr. Tornik said it’s hard to tell what his limited experience with five patients means, other than it being positive. But said under a physician’s supervision, it may be appropriate.
“I obviously don’t treat hospitalized patients. I don’t treat patients on a ventilator so I have no idea what would happen with those patients and patients with significant cardiac issues, arrhythmias and whatnot might not be appropriate. I don’t know you have to look at an individual case,” said Dr. Tornik.
Alexander says his children and wife stayed healthy throughout his isolation and recovery.
“I’m feeling pretty good actually,” said Alexander.
He’s now back at work.
“I was nervous about how people would feel being around me. I was a little nervous about maybe I could contract it again,” said Alexander.
His decision on treatment would be the same.
“Without a doubt, yeah,” said Alexander.
Dr. Amin said patients who aren’t in a hospital setting or clinical trial should review their existing drug list and pre-existing cardiovascular conditions with their doctor.
A U.S. Veterans hospital study of 368 veterans nationwide found more deaths in those treated with hydroxychloroquine and no evidence that using the drug with or without azithromycin reduced the risk of the need for a ventilator in those hospitalized.
A National Institutes of Health clinical trial of hydroxychloroquine has begun in Tennessee on its safety and effectiveness.
Ohio Ping
Where is/was all the concern about the heart for lupus and arthritis patients taking the drug? Are the doses that much different? Yet there is no hue and cry for heart monitoring for them. It’s just not part of the protocol.
I am pretty sure that I have read a couple of articles that stated that ventilators are not advisable treatment for COVID-19 patients.
Supplemental oxygen is preferable.
RE: Supplemental oxygen is preferable
That’s what they administered to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
RE: Where is/was all the concern about the heart for lupus and arthritis patients taking the drug? Are the doses that much different?
I think, based on Dr. Zelenko’s protocol, the dose for Covid-19 patients are LOWER and SHORT TERM compared to Lupus and arthritis patients ( the latter two are for long term usage ).
Edit to add, the other physician who has used the HCQ + azithromycin + Zinc protocol successfully is Dr. Stephen Smith of New Jersey.
He administer dosages based on the patient’s weight and pre-existing conditions.
I watched his testimony on the Laura Ingraham Show ( Fox News ).
OHIO PING!
Please let me know if you want on or off the Ohio Ping list.
Doctor sees success in using Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 as heart risk concerns mount; An Ohio anecdotal success story
5/14/2020, 10:58:59 AM · by SeekAndFind · 25 replies
ABC 6 ^ | 04/27/2020 | Tara Morgan
[[Doctor sees success in using Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 as heart risk concerns mount]]
What heart concerns? how many deaths have happened while folks are on HCQ?
Stop the nonsense ABC6
BOGUS, “heart risk concerns”.
See Dr. Zelenko’s most recent video. This heart risk concern is BOGUS!
Conflating hydroxychloroquine with it’s ugly sister chloroquine.
Blowing heart risks WAY out of proportion. ALL DRUGS HAVE SIDE EFFECTS FOR SOMEONE! Over the counter drugs can be AND ARE dangerous as well.
This is all political connected with financial greed.
Blowing heart risks WAY out of proportion. ALL DRUGS HAVE SIDE EFFECTS FOR SOMEONE! Over the counter drugs can be AND ARE dangerous as well.
******
Of course they are. Put all the pieces of this puzzle together. Nothing that’s going on is about containing, treating or managing a disease.
It’s all straight up fear porn and manipulation.
That people still haven’t pulled their heads out of their asses and figured it out is nothing more than a blatant indicator of *how* the usual suspects have gotten away with so much for so long.
Most. People. Are. Idiots. (MPAI)
I'll take "Things CNN Will Never Divulge" for $1000, Alex.
Ask Fauci if he is taking any steps to boost his immunity this week and if so what is he doing?
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