Cardiovascular adverse effects of lopinavir/ritonavir and hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19 patients: Cases from a single pharmacovigilance centre

Authors

  • Ioanna Istampoulouoglou Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Barbara Zimmermanns Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre Basel, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Tanja Grandinetti Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Catia Marzolini Division of Infectious Diseases & Hospital Hygiene, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Annette Harings-Kaim Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre Basel, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Sarah Koechlin-Lemke Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre Basel, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Irene Scholz Swissmedic, Schweizerisches Heilmittelinstitut, Bern, Switzerland
  • Stefano Bassetti Division of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
  • Anne B Leuppi-Taegtmeyer Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & Regional Pharmacovigilance Centre Basel, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland & University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21542/gcsp.2021.11

Abstract

In this article we summarize the cardiovascular adverse events that were observed in three patients during their treatment for COVID-19 and discuss their association with lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). The cases were reported to our regional pharmacovigilance centre in April 2020. All three patients were above 75 years in age, male and multimorbid, and had been hospitalized for treatment of COVID-19. As part of their treatment, all of them received a very strictly monitored off-label therapy with LPV/r and HCQ, for which they had given their prior, written, informed consent. In one patient, erythromycin was also administered. All three patients developed a significant QTc time prolongation during or shortly after therapy with the above drugs. On account of this, the treatment had to be discontinued early in each case and QTc time recovered in all three patients.

Downloads

Published

2021-06-06

Issue

Section

Pharmacovigilance