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Medical experts issue warning after AZ man took fish tank cleaner to prevent coronavirus infection and died
Medical experts with Banner Health are warning the public against using inappropriate medication and household products to prevent or treat coronavirus, following a man's death.
PHOENIX - Medical experts with Banner Health are warning the public against using inappropriate medication and household products to prevent or treat coronavirus.
The warning by Banner Health comes after after an Arizona man in his 60s died from taking a substance used to clean fish tanks at aquariums in order to prevent contracting COVID-19.
In a statement released on Monday, experts emphasized that chloroquine, which is a medication used for malaria, should not be taken to treat or prevent COVID-19.
Banner Health officials say the man who died, along with his wife, both took chloroquine phosphate. The man's wife, who was also in her 60s, is currently under critical care.
Officials say both were taken to a Banner Health hospital for immediate treatment, after they experienced immediate effects within 30 minutes of taking the substance.
"Most patients who become infected with COVID-19 will only require symptomatic care and self-isolation to prevent the risk of infecting others," read a portion of the statement. "The routine use of specific treatments, including medications described as ‘anti-COVID-19’, is not recommended for non-hospitalized patients, including the anti-malarial drug chloroquine."
According to the Associated Press, the Food and Drug Administration, FDA has reiterated in a statement released on Thursday that there are "no FDA-approved therapeutics or drugs to treat, cure or prevent COVID-19."
What is Chloroquine?
Chloroquine has been used to treat malaria since the 1930s. Hydroxychloroquine came along a decade later and has fewer side effects. The latter is sold in generic form and under the brand name Plaquenil for use against several diseases.
The drugs can cause heart rhythm problems, severely low blood pressure and muscle or nerve damage. Plaquenil’s label warns of possible damage to the retina, especially when used at higher doses, for longer times and with certain other medicines such as the breast cancer drug tamoxifen.
“Chloroquine is an extremely toxic drug with a terrible side effect profile. Hydroxychloroquine is far safer, but its side effects are still significant,” Meghan May, a microbiologist at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine in Biddeford, Maine, wrote in an email. “If it is not abundantly clear that it is beneficial, giving this drug to a critically ill patient feels risky.”
"This medicaiton is incredibly dangerous. It is commonly associated with very significant adverse effects, even when used appropriately," said Dr. Daniel Brooks, Medical Director at Banner, in a phone interview.
According to a report by the Associated Press, Hydroxychloroquine curbed coronavirus’ ability to enter cells in lab tests, which was reported by researchers last week in the journal Nature Medicine. That doesn’t mean it would do the same in people or that they could tolerate the doses tested in the lab.
Once again, in a statement released on Monday, experts emphasized that chloroquine should not be taken to treat or prevent COVID-19.
"People should not be using anything inappripriately due to concerns of coronavirus," said Dr. Brooks. "No household products should be gargled or used for medical puirposes or drank. No prescription medications that belong to other people should be used. No homeopathic or things from from the internet should be used. None of that is going to help the situation."
The Associated Press (AP) contributed to this report.
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Additional Resources
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) - How it spreads, symptoms, prevention, treatment, FAQ
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
Arizona COVID-19 Response - Public resources, FAQ, webinars
https://www.azdhs.gov/coronavirus
In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends:
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.