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Practice considerations on the use of investigational anti‐COVID‐19 medications: Dosage, administration and monitoring
Author(s) -
Kang Ji Eun,
Rhie Sandy Jeong
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/jcpt.13199
Subject(s) - covid-19 , medicine , investigational drugs , pharmacology , administration (probate law) , intensive care medicine , virology , clinical trial , outbreak , political science , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty) , law
Abstract What is known and Objective Understanding investigational medications is important. Many older drugs are being investigated for repurposing against COVID‐19. We comment on various drugs currently undergoing such trials to optimize their safe use. Comment We describe medications used during early COVID‐19 outbreaks in South Korea, focusing on practice aspects including the method of drug administration, drug formulation, patient‐monitoring for adverse reactions and drug interactions informed by our experience during the 2015 outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). We comment on hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine, lopinavir/ritonavir with zinc supplement, remdesivir, tocilizumab, ciclesonide, niclosamide and high‐dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). What is new and conclusion Effective therapies are urgently needed to manage COVID‐19, and existing drugs such as antivirals and antimalarials are under investigation for repurposing to meet this need. This process requires up‐to‐date drug information to ensure optimum use, particularly safety and efficacy profiles of the medications, until convincing evidence is reported.