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01-10-2020 | Streptococci | Letter to the Editor

Use of Azithromycin in COVID-19: A Cautionary Tale

Authors: Chia Siang Kow, Syed Shahzad Hasan

Published in: Clinical Drug Investigation | Issue 10/2020

Excerpt

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has seen many drugs being repositioned or repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19. Among the repurposed drugs, azithromycin has caught the limelight, where it is frequently administered to patients with COVID-19 alongside chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine. We appreciate the efforts by Bleyzac and colleagues, who comprehensively summarised the pharmacological and therapeutic properties of azithromycin in the treatment of COVID-19, including the concerns regarding prolongation of the QT interval, which may lead to fatal cardiac events [1]. However, we are also concerned about the emergence of microorganisms resistant to azithromycin and related macrolides, such as clarithromycin and erythromycin, in relation to the unrestricted use of azithromycin amid the COVID-19 pandemic. …

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Title: Use of Azithromycin in COVID-19: A Cautionary Tale
Authors: Chia Siang Kow
Syed Shahzad Hasan
Publication date: 01-10-2020
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Keywords: Streptococci
Macrolide
Clarithromycin
Azithromycin
COVID-19
Published in: Clinical Drug Investigation / Issue 10/2020
Print ISSN: 1173-2563
Electronic ISSN: 1179-1918
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40261-020-00961-z

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Use of Azithromycin in COVID-19: A Cautionary Tale

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