Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a recently discovered infectious viral disease. Coronavirus causes it, and most people infected with the COVID-19 virus will experience mild to moderate respiratory distress and recover without needing advanced medical care. It was believed that aged people are most likely to experience severe illnesses. People with severe respiratory disorders, cardiovascular problems, and chronic kidney disease are vulnerable to a great extent. Sometimes this virus affects young health people showing its complexity and severity. In this article, we will discuss some of the best medicines that many used to treat COVID-19.
What is COVID-19?
The novel Coronavirus of 2019 is a relatively new strain in humans capable of inducing viral pneumonia. It was first connected to Wuhan’s South China Seafood City market, a wholesale market for seafood and live animals, in December 2019. Its symptoms range from common colds to more severe illnesses. This includes ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome).
How does the COVID-19 spread?
Present research indicates that COVID-19 spreads between people by direct, indirect (contaminated items or surfaces) or near contact with infected individuals by mouth and nose secretions. These include saliva, respiratory secretions, or droplet secretions. These excretions can infect others. That’s why people in 1 meter radius with an infected individual can catch COVID-19 while infected.
Symptoms of COVID-19
People with COVID-19 have reported a wide variety of symptoms, ranging from minor symptoms to serious illness. Symptoms can occur 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People who have these signs may have COVID-19.
Most common symptoms:
- Fever
- dry cough
- tiredness
Less common symptoms:
- aches and pains
- sore throat
- diarrhea
- conjunctivitis
- headache
- loss of taste or smell
- a rash on the skin, or discoloration of fingers or toes
Serious symptoms:
- difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- chest pain or pressure
- loss of speech or movement
The virus can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, heart attacks, liver problems, septic shock, and death. Some patients treated with medicines for COVID-19 often formed harmful blood clots. These clots can form in their legs, lungs, and arteries. Many symptoms of COVID-19 may relate to a disorder known as cytokine release syndrome or a cytokine outbreak. This infection induces the immune system to fill the body with cytokines. They will destroy tissues and damage your organs.
People should treat their minor symptoms at home. If you have severe signs, seek urgent medical attention.
Top Medicines for COVID-19
More than 23 million individuals worldwide tested positive for the novel Coronavirus putting enormous pressure on our healthcare system. Hence, we are in urgent need of safe and effective medication for COVID-19. Scientists around the planet compete against time to discover a cure.
Hospitals and research facilities around the world are studying several various coronavirus-positive patients for future COVID-19 treatment. Here are some of the top drugs and therapies that have been creating a sensation in the science community
1. Chloroquine (C.Q.) or Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)
Hydroxychloroquine is in a class of medications that was first used to prevent and treat malaria. Whereas now it has shown promising results in the treatment of COVID-19.
President Donald Trump praised the malaria drug, saying that it had shown a “strong success” toward Covid-19. “It’s going to be interesting, I guess,” he said. “I think it could be a game-changer, and maybe not.”
Data
The Food and Drug Administration ( FDA) has released a EUA to facilitate the delivery and use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. These two medications have been used for the treatment and control of malaria and autoimmune disorders for decades. Recently, French non-randomized open-label analysis was reported on day 6. It revealed the nasopharyngeal clearance of the virus in patients receiving azithromycin with and without HCQ. In light of this study, the U.S. government promoted HCQ in the treatment of the COVID-19. On 28 March 2020, the use of C.Q. and HCQ in COVID-19 patients was approved by the U.S. FDA and advocated by the Indian Council for Medical Research., causing drug companies to ramp up C.Q. and HCQ production. Consequently, this resulted in panic buying as people rushed to acquire the so-called “life-saving medicine” for COVID-19.
Conclusion
The potential against COVID-19 exists somewhere. When taken together, considering the increasingly growing number of COVID-19 patients and the immediate need for efficient and safe medicines in the clinic, C.Q. and HCQ can tackle pathological inflammation associated with COVID-19.
2. Remdesivir
Remdesivir, an antiviral drug, is a brand-new drug that the FDA has not yet approved to use the market and tested in carefully controlled conditions. It is administered by IV (intravenous line). Remedesvir has proven efficacy against SARS, MERS, and Ebola at both unicellular and multicellular levels.
Recently, an in vitro study (study conducted in a petri dish or a test tube rather than in animals or humans), remdesivir stopped human cells from being contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19).
Data
Early results from an extensive study of 1,063 patients found that hospitalized patients who received remdesivir recovered quicker than those who received a placebo (11 days vs. 15 days, respectively). The death rate in the remdesivir group (7%) was also lower than in the placebo group (12%), but this was not statistically relevant (meaning this may have happened by chance). Patients who needed oxygen revealed significant improvement. Although the survey was not comprehensive, a press release later confirmed that comparable death rates were found in a different study. When looking at all patients in the study (regardless of whether they got remdesivir), there was no time difference for progress relative to placebo.
3. Tocilizumab (Actemra)
Tocilizumab is an approved disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis. (Both are inflammatory diseases.) It functions by blocking interleukin-6 (IL-6), a protein involved in our normal immune response. IL-6 usually stimulates other cells to activate the immune system, but too much activation can cause complications. One possible significant concern of an overactive immune system is a cytokine storm, a potentially lethal problem.
Data
A study from France indicated that certain people were less likely to require ventilation, which had tocilizumab.
Another study from Italy demonstrated that the same number of patients in both groups needed ventilators, but the patients given tocilizumab showed a lower death rate. On the other hand, tocilizumab did not support COVID-19 patients with early-stage pneumonia. The manufacturer’s Phase 3 analysis also showed that tocilizumab did not benefit patients with severe pneumonia with COVID-19 hospitalization.
4. Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone is a common corticosteroid (steroid) drug used for several years to treat different health disorders. This included autoimmune diseases and allergic reactions. A randomized clinical trial in the U.K. tests several drugs, including dexamethasone, to see whether they are successful against COVID-19.
Data
Researchers found a lower mortality rate on day 28 in 2,104 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 who received a low daily dose of dexamethasone (either by mouth or IV injection) than 4,321 patients who did not receive dexamethasone (23% versus 26%, respectively). This difference was quite significant. The drug was incredibly useful to those who were on a ventilator requiring extra oxygen. There was little advantage to people with less severe symptoms.
5. Favipiravir
Favipiravir, known as Avigan in Japan, prevents viruses from copying their genetic material. It was initially thought to cure influenza while looking at antiviral medicines. Last week, news sources reported that Chinese officials had pointed to this antiviral medication manufactured in Japan as ‘successful.”
While favipiravir, an antiviral made by Toyama Chemical (part of Fuji Film), generated hopeful headlines, the doctor’s research at Wuhan University in China makes more modest statements. They coordinated a survey of 240 “average” patients (meaning they had pneumonia but were not the worst cases) in Hubei. Half had favipiravir, and half had Umifenovir (or Arbidol), an antiviral used in Russia, and they were watched to see which group healed quicker. Doctors observed that patients’ fevers and coughs went better than favipiravir, but comparable numbers in either category ended up requiring oxygen or a ventilator. Based on these results, they concluded that favipiravir is the “preferred” drug.
6. Ivermectin
Ivermectin is a drug widely used as a broad-spectrum anti-parasitic drug that often affects many invertebrates. It works by binding the gated chloride ion channels of glutamate in parasites, contributing to depolarization of the parasite’s cells and paralysis or death. When directed against COVID-19, it is believed to operate by binding and destabilizing cell transport proteins used to reach the nucleus.
Data
A retrospective multicenter trial of some 1,400 patients, which is still under review, indicates that ivermectin has a lower mortality rate (7% vs. 21% in the control group) and shorter periods in the hospital. Fewer intubated patients have died in the ivermectin community (7% vs. 21%).
7. Fluvoxamine
Fluvoxamine is a drug that earlier treated obsessive-compulsive disorder. It has been around since 1983 and could prevent COVID-19 patients from developing more severe symptoms.
Data
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors conducted a trialwith 152 participants.
In this trial, out of 80 participants who received the drug, zero hit the clinical deterioration endpoint. As compared to the six out of 72 people who got the placebo and deteriorated. The results suggest that fluvoxamine may mitigate the risk of hospitalization and death.
Conclusion
Scientists are trying to make new medicines and test some existing drugs to see whether they can treat COVID-19. No permanent solution ( Vaccine or Drug ) to this problem has been found. But scientists are trying hard and soul to find one. We should keep social distancing and wait for a vaccine.
