QT interval prolongation, an electrical disturbance that makes the heart muscle take longer than normal to recharge between beats, is a safety concern for patients taking hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) to treat COVID-19.
In MedPage Today, Anil Kishin Gehi, MD, the Sewell Family-McAllister Distinguished Professor of cardiology said “blithely taking these drugs can potentially be more harmful than good,” and he recognized that “excessive QT prolongation is associated with a risk for sudden death.”
Gehi also said the risk for significant QT prolongation must be balanced with the potential benefit of therapy.
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