Family of New York woman blames hydroxychloroquine combo for fatal heart attack

[SunSeeker]

A New York woman with coronavirus symptoms died last week after being prescribed a drug cocktail with known cardiac side effects, and family members say she was not tested for COVID-19 or for heart problems before receiving the medication.

The family’s experience suggests that at least some physicians are prescribing hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin — drugs President Donald Trump has promoted to treat the coronavirus — outside of hospital settings, underscoring why major medical organizations including the American Heart Association have issued warnings about the drug’s potential to trigger heart arrhythmia in some patients.

In early April, Ligia, a 65-year-old Queens resident, was given the drug by her general practitioner after she reported having a bad cough, fever and shortness of breath. Ligia’s last name is being withheld on the request of her children.

While Ligia’s symptoms were consistent with those of COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, she was never tested for the virus, her brother-in-law, Lee Levitt, told NBC News. Ligia received the drug after speaking by phone with her doctor, Levitt said. She was never evaluated in person and received no heart screening or warning about the potential side effects.

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/family-new-york-woman-blames-hydroxychloroquine-combo-fatal-heart-attack-n1185451

[Celerity]

1. She got Trumped.

[SunSeeker]

4. Yup. Trump won't utilize the DPA to make the tests we need, but he does push snake oil.

So those two realities converged to kill this woman.

[Cha]

2. Oh god.. malpractice. That's horrible..

the Dr should have known patients needed to be tested for heart conditions Before taking the drug.

[SunSeeker]

3. Indeed. If she was having trouble breathing, she should have been hospitalized.

So sad.

[Cha]

5. Mahalo for putting this

out there, SunSeeker. People need to know this.. the adage a little learning is a dangerous thing comes to mind.

[Tucker08087]

6. I feel like I've been a broken record about this drug.

But this is why. Regular family physicians do not understand Lupus or the treatments. Many rheumatologists, the doctors who generally treat Lupus, mostly treat general arthritis, and don’t know how to handle the disease once it reaches the stage where a risky drug like Hydroxychloroquine would be prescribed. You need to find a Lupus specialist, generally in a big city and preferably in a teaching hospital.
If you go to the National Lupus Foundation website, you will find that they ask for donations and sponsor Lupus fundraising walks every May because “there is no SAFE treatment and no cure.” There are several reasons why that word “safe” is there. Heart problems and death are two of many possible side effects. To peddle a medication like a drug dealer without warning of the dangers is incredibly irresponsible, and I really don’t understand how it’s legal, especially given Trump’s investment in the company that produces this drug.

[MerryBlooms]

9. Incredibly irresponsible on the part of the woman's doctor.

I believe there will be a long horribly sad trail of stories like the OP. Incompetent doctors, prescribing medicines they have no business prescribing. People scared and desperate taking actions on their own because they read something on the internet, or heard that ignoramus in our WH promote a magical drug. I recall reading about the couple who ingested aquarium chemicals as a coronavirus cure, the man died, the woman was in ICU last update I saw. When times are less urgent, we'll hear some stories that will blow our minds.

Thanks for the very informative posts about Lupus and treatments.

[hlthe2b]

7. We won't likely know for sure, but they are very probably correct. This is a travesty of malpractice

Rick Wilson is soooo right. Everything Trump Touches Dies. #ETTD

[SunSeeker]

8. Yup.