Use of certain prescription meds linked to COVID-19 mortality (Can be worthwhile to get on prescriptions if having covered health issues)

Medical Xpress / BMJ Open ^ | Jan. 10, 2021 | HealthDay / Arthur W Wallace

[ConservativeMind]

A potential COVID-19 survival benefit is suggested in association with initiation or continuation of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I), an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), or metformin for hospitalized patients, according to a study published in the December issue of The BMJ.

Arthur W. Wallace, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues classified patterns of ACE-I, ARB, beta-blocker, metformin, famotidine, and remdesivir use and captured mortality among 9,532 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 infection.

The researchers found that discontinuation of an ACE-I was associated with an elevated risk for death (odds ratio, 1.4), while the risk for death was reduced in association with initiating or continuous ACE-I use (odds ratios, 0.3 and 0.6, respectively). Statistically significant associations of similar direction and magnitude were seen with ARB and metformin use. When accounting for preexisting morbidity and propensity score adjustment, results were unchanged.

"Our findings not only support continuation of ACE-I, ARB, and metformin medication among hospitalized patients with COVID-19, but suggest benefit for initiation in patients with indication for therapy," the authors write. "We also found evidence consistent with benefits for the same strategy in patients with COVID-19 who are not hospitalized."

[MayflowerMadam]

Sorry your husband won’t take the meds. Sometimes I’ve skipped a couple days and have been sorry. It makes the difference between living your life happy or suffering in terrible discomfort. I hate taking meds of any kind, but quality of life is important.

[Tennessee Conservative]

That’s what I tell him. He listens to all of the warning on TV about meds and doesn’t realize that most of those bad side effects take years to develop. He’s 83. I’m cautious about meds too, especially if they make me feel worse than what they are treating, but after a certain age I don’t think you need to worry about the long-term effect (30-40 years) any longer if they provide a better quality of life today.

[EBH]

"We also found evidence consistent with benefits for the same strategy in patients with COVID-19 who are not hospitalized."

famotidine= Pepcid This medicine is available with your doctor's prescription and also without a prescription. For the prescription form, there is more medicine in each tablet. https://reference.medscape.com/drug/pepcid-ac-zantac-360-famotidine-341989