Open AccessWhen there is a pandemic there is no time to waste: should we have hydroxychloroquine in our armoury against COVID-19 infected patients?
Author(s) -
Dimitrios P. Bogdanos,
Zoi Daniil,
Epamidas Zakynthinos,
Konstantinos Gourgoulianis,
Lazaros I. Sakkas
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
mediterranean journal of rheumatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2529-198X
DOI - 10.31138/mjr.31.1.94
Subject(s) - hydroxychloroquine , pandemic , chloroquine , pneumonia , covid-19 , medicine , coronavirus , viral pneumonia , intensive care medicine , drug , virology , immunology , pharmacology , malaria , outbreak , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
The current use of chloroquine and/or hydroxychloroquine, a drug currently used to treat autoimmune rheumatic diseases, in treating severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) or COVID-19-infected patients with pneumonia is a matter of intense consideration. We wish to enter the ongoing debate as to whether this well-known drug must be given to Greek COVID-19-infected patients, especially those with pneumonia. Our arguments are based on the existing data and the capacity of the Greek health system to afford potent anti-viral treatments, which are under immense investigation. We propose several suggestions related to treatment of COVID-19 pneumonia with chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine that we think must be taken into consideration to fit the evolving situation of the pandemic in Greece.