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Table 1 Current medications used in Covid-19 infection and potential side effects in cardiomyopathies (CMP) and ion channel diseases (ICD)

From: COVID-19 pandemia and inherited cardiomyopathies and channelopathies: a short term and long term perspective

DRUG

SIDE EFFECTS

USE in CMP and ICD

Hydroxychloroquinea

QT prolongation (drug effect plus CYP3A4 inhibition)

Potentially harmful in LQTs, HCM or other CMPs associated with LQT, acquired QT status

Caution in: hypokaliemia status, severe hypoglicemia, renal or epatic failure; digoxin, antiepilectics or ciclosporin therapy; patients with G6PDH and porfiria

Azitromicina

QT prolongation (drug effect plus mild CYP3A4 inhibition)

Potentially harmful in LQTs, HCM or other structural disease associated with LQT, acquired QT status

Ritonavir

QT prolongation (CYP3A4 inhibition)

Bradyarrhythmias/AV blocks

Hypertension, angioedema, maculopapular rash, respiratory tract infection, peripheral neuropathy, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, increased glucose, increased uric acid, increased transaminases and creatine kinase, decreased CrCl, neutropenia, anemia

Rare: ketoacidosis, insulin resistance, anorexia, hyperlactatemia, rhabdomyolysis

Potentially harmful in LQTs, HCM or other structural disease associated with LQT, acquired QT status

Caution in patients with congenital, inherited (i.e. SCN5A), or structural (i.e. Lamin A/C, desmin, mitchocondrial) AV blocks

Caution in patients with previous renal and hepatic diseases and/or previous peripheral neuropathy (i.e. Amyloidosis, Fabry disease), hypertension, familial hypercolesterolemia, uncompensated DM, mitochondrial or metabolic disorders, syndromes associated with anemia or neutropenia (i.e. Barth synfrome)

Caution in patients taking sildenafil (i.e. pulmonary hypertension), sinvastatin, amiodaron, midazolam

Lopinavir

QT prolongation (CYP3A4 inhibition)

Bradyarrhythmias/AV blocks

Hypertension, angioedema, maculopapular rash, respiratory tract infection, peripheral neuropathy, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, increased glucose, increased uric acid, increased transaminases and creatine kinase, decreased CrCl, neutropenia, anemia

Rare: ketoacidosis, insulin resistance, anorexia, hyperlactatemia, rhabdomyolysis

Potentially harmful in LQTs, HCM or other structural disease associated with LQT, acquired QT status

Caution in patients with congenital, inherited (i.e. SCN5A), or structural (i.e. Lamin A/C, desmin, mitchocondrial) AV blocks

Caution in patients with previous renal and hepatic diseases and/or previous peripheral neuropathy (i.e. Amyloidosis, Fabry disease), hypertension, familial hypercolesterolemia, uncompensated DM, mitochondrial or metabolic disorders, syndromes associated with anemia or neutropenia (i.e. Barth synfrome)

Caution in patients taking sildenafil (i.e. pulmonary hypertension), sinvastatin, amiodaron, midazolam

Remdesivir

No definite effect on cardiac electrical activity

Liver enzyme increase

Tocilizumab

No definite effect on cardiac electrical activity

Drug idiosyncrasy, hypertension, hypercolesterolemia, respiratory tract or other infections, increased transaminase, reduced CrCl,

Caution in patients with previous renal and hepatic diseases, hypertension, familial hypercolesterolemia

Caution in patients taking other immunosoppressive drugs (i.e. cortisone, ciclosporin), simvastatin/atorvastatin, amlodipin, teofillin, warfarin, temazepam

Low molecular weight Eparin

No definite effect on cardiac electrical activity

Uncontrolled bleeding

Heparin induced thrombocytopenia

Elevated liver enzymes

Caution in patients with splenomegaly status (i.e. Gaucher disease, amyloidosis, sarcoidosis)

Caution in patients with previous thrombocytopenia or coagulation factors deficits (i.e. Rasopathies: Noonan syndrome)

Caution in patients with severe renal and hepatic diseases

Caution in patients taking high dose diuretics, captopril, abciximab, clopidogrel, digoxin

  1. aIn absence of clear benefit and safety data from well designed, randomized, controlled clinical trials, the WHO and many national authorities have issued specific warnings for the use of hydroxychloroquine, particularly in association with azitromicin (https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/coronavirus-disease-answers?query=hydroxychloroquine)