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Some Swedish Hospitals Have Stopped Using Chloroquine To Treat CoVid-19 After Reports of Severe Side Effects
Newsweek ^ | 04/08/2020 | Rosie McCall

Posted on 04/08/2020 9:17:13 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Several hospitals in Sweden have reportedly stopped administering chloroquine to coronavirus patients following reports the drug was causing adverse side effects.

According to the national paper Expressen, hospitals in the Västra Götaland region are no longer offering the antimalarial medication, with side effects reported to include cramps and the loss of peripheral vision.

One of the patients affected was Carl Sydenhag, a 40-year-old Stockholm resident. According to Expressen, Sydenhag was prescribed two tablets of chloroquine to take daily after he was diagnosed with COVID-19 on March 23.

But instead of making him feel better, the medication produced unpleasant side effects. As well as cramps and vision loss, Sydenhag experienced a headache that felt like stepping into "a high voltage plant," he told the paper.

Magnus Gisslén, a professor and chief physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital infection clinic, told the Gothenburg Post he and others at the clinic administered chloroquine "like everyone else." But as of two weeks ago, Sahlgrenska University Hospital has stopped all use of chloroquine in the treatment of COVID-19.

"There were reports of suspected more serious side effects than we first thought," he told the Gothenburg Post on April 1, 2020. "We cannot rule out serious side effects, especially from the heart, and it is a hard-dosed drug. In addition, we have no strong evidence that chloroquine has an effect on COVID-19."

There are no specific drugs used to treat the novel coronavirus but many have pointed to the anti-malarial drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as contenders.

The drugs have achieved mixed results in scientific studies. One study suggested it provides no additional benefit to patients who are already receiving care and being treated with antiviral drugs.

(Excerpt) Read more at newsweek.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 20200409; aprilfools; chloroquine; coordinatedhit; covid19; hydroxychloroquine; ismellbs; newsweek; sweden
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To: CheshireTheCat

That’s good to know, about Cipro and Achilles tendons. My wife is allergic to most antibiotics, but Cipro is one of very few she can take. I’ll pass this along.

She also gets severe headaches from zinc, so we have to find zinc-free versions of things like multivitamins. Not many of those out there.


101 posted on 04/09/2020 4:11:29 AM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
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To: SeekAndFind

OK. Asa Dr. Fauci says, it is purely anecdotal.


102 posted on 04/09/2020 4:15:47 AM PDT by Gumdrop
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To: SeekAndFind

OK. As Dr. Fauci will say, it is purely anecdotal.


103 posted on 04/09/2020 4:16:42 AM PDT by Gumdrop
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To: samadams2000

Exactly, a medication with empirical data used successfully or over 80 years is now too dangerous. In certain cases penicillin can have bad of fatal side effects too.


104 posted on 04/09/2020 4:16:42 AM PDT by VTenigma (The Democrat party is the party of the mathematically challenged)
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To: catnipman

““Several hospitals in Sweden have reportedly stopped administering chloroquine”

“reportedly” means that some other fake media outlet published a fake story first, “

Good catch on reportedly


105 posted on 04/09/2020 4:25:23 AM PDT by DEPcom
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To: piasa

If newsweak decided to send some stooges to the tropics for some on site fibbery do you think they would risk cramps or just take their chances with malaria?


106 posted on 04/09/2020 4:51:08 AM PDT by hardspunned
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To: cba123

Excellent point—it escaped me that this article refers to CHLOROQUINE, not HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE, and you’re right, the latter was developed to avoid a bunch of side effects—you just Sunk Their Battleship!

Well done.


107 posted on 04/09/2020 5:19:26 AM PDT by _longranger81 (Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the defenseless; care for the unloved.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Why is the media so invested in the failure of this drug?


108 posted on 04/09/2020 5:21:37 AM PDT by LateBoomer
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To: LateBoomer

I fell right into their trap, didn’t I? Chloroquine not Hydroxychloroquine. Sneaky devils.


109 posted on 04/09/2020 5:24:58 AM PDT by LateBoomer
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To: DEPcom; catnipman
“reportedly” means that some other fake media outlet published a fake story first, “

Check posts #75 and #87 in this thread.

The first story was published in the Swedish tabloid Expressen and then a few days the same story in the Daily Mail. If it is one thing we know for certain it is that journalists spen most of their time copying each others stories. Good catch on reportedly

110 posted on 04/09/2020 5:47:15 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy (Part of the Right Wing Research & Attack Machine)
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To: samadams2000

Yes indeed.
“Reportedly “ in first sentence.
So easily spotted.
Fake News.


111 posted on 04/09/2020 6:00:05 AM PDT by MotorCityBuck ( Keep the change, you filthy animal! ,)
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To: SeekAndFind

Backed by Gates Foundation:

A new COVID-19 vaccine candidate is entering Phase 1 clinical human testing today, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) accepted an application from Inovio Pharmaceuticals under the regulator’s Investigational New Drug program.

Inovio plans to inject its first volunteer test subject with the INO-4800 DNA vaccine candidate it has developed, following promising results from preclinical studies performed on animals that did indicate increased immune response.


112 posted on 04/09/2020 6:16:11 AM PDT by Zathras
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To: samadams2000
NEWSWEAK attacks drug Trump recommended


Some Swedish Hospitals Have Stopped Using Chloroquine To Treat CoVid-19 After Reports of Severe Side Effects

Newsweek | 04/08/2020 | Rosie McCall


CDC HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE PRESCRIPTION ADVICE REMOVED AFTER 'UNUSUAL' MOVE TO ISSUE GUIDELINES WITHOUT STRONG EVIDENCE

Newsweek | 04/08/2020 | BY KASHMIRA GANDER


FRENCH HOSPITAL STOPS HYDROXYCHLOROQUINE TREATMENT FOR COVID-19 PATIENT OVER MAJOR CARDIAC RISK

Newsweek | 04/08/2020 | Hannah Osborne

113 posted on 04/09/2020 6:17:56 AM PDT by MarvinStinson
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To: Captain7seas

RE: Vitamin C peoples, Vitamin C.

Lots of it.


Ok, how many mg. per day would be good?


114 posted on 04/09/2020 6:30:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
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To: Texas Eagle

When I traveled to malarial parts of Africa and Asia, my doctor prescribed HCQ to prevent malaria. I was in my 50s and early 60s and had a high-deductible policy at the time. My doctor prescribed HCQ because it was both effective and inexpensive generic drug with rare side effects.

The corporate media serve the political and corporate elites. The last thing these elites would want is a cheap and effective generic drug to treat a pandemic. An expensive vaccine or newly patented treatment is much more to their liking. So, there’s that. Also, the corporate media hate Trump and want him to fail so much that they do not want the HCQ cocktail to work.


115 posted on 04/09/2020 6:30:58 AM PDT by Skepolitic
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To: SeekAndFind

The MSDS for this product by ScienceLab.com, years ago, promoted health hazards for the use of this product. Within the MSDS:

May be harmful if swallowed. May cause nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, ulceration or bleeding from the duodenum. May affect respiration (respiratory depression), peripheral nervous system, behavior/central nervous system/peripheral nervous system (somnolence, mild and transient headache, psychosis, delirium, personality changes and depression, ataxia, tremor, seizures, coma, muscle weakness, depression of tendon reflexes, spastic paralysis with or without sensory change), hearing (nerve type deafness, tinnitus, reduced hearing in people with preexisting auditory damage), and rarely the blood (aplastic anemia, reversible agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia), and cardiovascular system (hypotension, electrocardiographic change).

It may also cause retinal damage, blurring of vision and difficulty of focusing or accomodation and other visual disturbances, pleomorphic skin eruptions, skin and mucosal pigmentary changes, photosensitivity, bleaching of hair pigment, lichen planuslike erruptions.

Chronic Potential Health Effects:

Ingestion: Prolonged or repeated ingestion may cause weight loss, affect behavior/central nervous system/peripheral nervous system (symptoms similar to acute ingestion), kidneys, liver (hepatic necrosis, fatty liver degeneration), cardiovascular system. Long-term exposure may also cause irreversible retinal damage, skin (symptoms similar to that of acute ingestion).

In an article by goodzx, the following have been noited as a result of any extended use:

Irreversible visual changes
Long QT or QT prolongation (abnormal heart rhythm)
Muscle weakness or nerve pain
Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose)
Worsening of psoriasis

Note heart rhythm and hypoglycemia problems.

And we’ve know about the side effects for many years. So the lies just keep coming.

rwood


116 posted on 04/09/2020 7:04:15 AM PDT by Redwood71
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To: Skepolitic; All
The latest news from IHU - Mediterrannée Infection (dr Raoult's institute):

Early treatment of 1061 COVID-19 patients with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin

That's the abstract of a pending article describing the outcome of 1061 patients treated with the HCQ-AZ combination.

In short:
Virus no longer detected in 92% of patients within 10 days. All but one survivor virus free after 15 days.

Poor outcome in 4.4% (47 patients): 31 required > 10 days in hospital, 10 transferred to ICU, 5 patients died (0.47%).

Of the poor outcomes 25 patients recovered. In all to date 98% cured.

Worse outcome associated with higher age (risk ratio only 1:1.1), low serum concentration of HCQ, use of beta-blockers or Angiotensin II receptor blocker*.

Mortality with the HCQ/AZ regimens significantly lower than other treatment modalities at the same clinic and other hospitals in Marseille (p < 0.01, thus, likelihood of these results occurring by chance less than 1 in a 100.)

*This result is very interesting. It is thought that the virus enter the cells via the Angiotensin receptor, thus a blocker of this receptor ought to stop the virus from entering. However, it has been shown that receptor blockers increase the amount of receptors, thus, possibly making it easier for the virus to enter the cells. IIRC University of Minnesota was going to start a controlled study on A-receptor blockers. May not be such a good idea....

117 posted on 04/09/2020 7:06:40 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy (Part of the Right Wing Research & Attack Machine)
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To: All
Forgot to mention that this is stated in the abstract:

No cardiac toxicity was observed.

118 posted on 04/09/2020 7:12:32 AM PDT by ScaniaBoy (Part of the Right Wing Research & Attack Machine)
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To: Redwood71

Here is a current list of side effects from UpToDate for Hydroxychloroquine

Adverse Reactions

1% to 10%: Ophthalmic: Retinopathy (4%; serum concentration dependent [Petri 2019]; early changes reversible [may progress despite discontinuation if advanced])

Frequency not defined:

Dermatologic: Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis, alopecia, bullous rash, dyschromia (skin and mucosal), erythema multiforme, exacerbation of psoriasis, exfoliative dermatitis, hair discoloration, pruritus, skin photosensitivity, skin rash, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, urticaria

Endocrine & metabolic: Exacerbation of porphyria, severe hypoglycemia, weight loss

Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain, decreased appetite, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting

Hematologic & oncologic: Agranulocytosis, anemia, aplastic anemia, bone marrow failure, hemolysis (in patients with glucose-6-phosphate deficiency), leukopenia, thrombocytopenia

Hepatic: Abnormal hepatic function tests, acute hepatic failure

Hypersensitivity: Angioedema

Immunologic: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms

Nervous system: Ataxia, dizziness, emotional lability, fatigue, headache, irritability, nervousness, nightmares, psychosis, seizure, sensorineural hearing loss, suicidal tendencies, vertigo

Neuromuscular & skeletal: Myopathy (including palsy or neuromyopathy, leading to progressive weakness and atrophy of proximal muscle groups; may be associated with mild sensory changes and loss of deep tendon reflexes)

Ophthalmic: Corneal changes (corneal edema, corneal opacity, corneal sensitivity, corneal deposits, visual disturbance, blurred vision, photophobia), decreased visual acuity, macular degeneration, maculopathy, nystagmus disorder, retinal pigment changes, retinitis pigmentosa, scotoma, vision color changes, visual field defect

Otic: Deafness, tinnitus

Respiratory: Bronchospasm

Postmarketing:

Cardiovascular: Cardiomyopathy, prolonged QT interval on ECG, torsades de pointes, ventricular arrhythmia

Endocrine & metabolic: Hypoglycemia (can be severe; Cansu 2008; FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020; Unübol 2011)

Hematologic & oncologic: Neutropenia (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020), pancytopenia (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020)

Nervous system: Agitation (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020), confusion (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020), delirium (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020), extrapyramidal reaction (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020), hallucination (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020)

Ophthalmic: Epithelial keratopathy (Dosso 2007)

Renal: Renal insufficiency (FDA Safety Alert, April 1, 2020)

Warnings/Precautions

Concerns related to adverse effects:

• Cardiovascular effects: Cardiomyopathy resulting in cardiac failure, sometimes fatal, has been reported (symptoms may present as atrioventricular block, pulmonary hypertension, sick sinus syndrome, or as cardiac complications), and may appear during acute or chronic therapy. Monitor for signs/symptoms of cardiac compromise; discontinue treatment promptly if signs and symptoms of cardiomyopathy occur. In a scientific statement from the American Heart Association, hydroxychloroquine has been determined to be an agent that may either cause direct myocardial toxicity or exacerbate underlying myocardial dysfunction (magnitude: major) (AHA [Page 2016]). Consider chronic toxicity if conduction disorders (eg, bundle branch block, atrioventricular heart block) as well as biventricular hypertrophy are diagnosed. May also be associated with QT interval prolongation; ventricular arrhythmia and torsades de pointes have been reported (monitor QT-prolonging effects during therapy in at-risk patients or if used in combination with other medications that prolong the QT interval).

• Dermatologic effects: Skin reactions to hydroxychloroquine may occur; use with caution in patients on concomitant medications with a propensity to cause dermatitis.

• Hematologic effects: Bone marrow suppression (eg, agranulocytosis, anemia, aplastic anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia) have been reported; periodically monitor CBC during prolonged therapy. Discontinue treatment if signs/symptoms of severe blood disorder not attributable to the underlying disease occur.

• Hypoglycemia: Severe hypoglycemia, including life-threatening loss of consciousness, has been reported in patients with and without concomitant use of antidiabetic agents. Advise patients of risk of hypoglycemia and associated signs/symptoms; discontinue use in patients who develop severe hypoglycemia.

• Neuromuscular effects: Proximal myopathy or neuromyopathy, leading to progressive weakness, proximal muscle atrophy, depressed tendon reflexes, and abnormal nerve conduction may occur, especially with long-term therapy. Curvilinear bodies and muscle fiber atrophy with vacuolar changes have been noted on muscle or nerve biopsy. Muscle strength (especially proximal muscles) and reflexes should be assessed periodically during long term therapy.

• Psychiatric effects: Suicidal behavior has been reported rarely.

• Retinal toxicity: Retinal toxicity, potentially causing irreversible retinopathy, is predominantly associated with high daily doses and a duration of >5 years of use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of rheumatic diseases. One study suggested a correlation of higher serum concentrations of hydroxychloroquine with ocular toxicity (Petri 2019). Other major risk factors include concurrent tamoxifen use, renal impairment, lower body weight, and the presence of macular disease. Daily hydroxychloroquine (base) doses >5 mg/kg actual body weight were associated with an ~10% risk of retinal toxicity within 10 years of treatment and an almost 40% risk after 20 years of therapy. Risk is most accurately assessed on the basis of duration of use relative to daily dose/body weight (Marmor [AAO 2016]; Melles 2014). Based on these risks, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) recommends not exceeding a daily hydroxychloroquine dosage of 5 mg/kg using actual body weight in most patients. Previous recommendations to use ideal body weight are no longer advised; very thin patients in particular were at increased risk for retinal toxicity using this practice. Current AAO guidelines do not specifically address dosing in obese patients. AAO also recommends baseline screening for retinal toxicity and annual screening beginning after 5 years of use (or sooner if major risk factors are present) (Marmor [AAO 2016]). If ocular toxicity is suspected, discontinue and monitor closely; retinal changes and visual disturbances may progress after discontinuation. A baseline ocular exam is recommended within the first year of initiating hydroxychloroquine treatment.


119 posted on 04/09/2020 8:01:26 AM PDT by NYorkerInHouston
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To: ScaniaBoy

thanks for the pointers ... VERY enlightening ...


120 posted on 04/09/2020 8:47:37 AM PDT by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Vote Republican in 2012 and only be called racist one more time!)
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