The Potentially Recommended Pharmacotherapy for COVID-19

Abstract

Context: A completely unique coronavirus (2019-nCoV), formally referred to as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), appeared in China. SARS-CoV-2 is an etiological mediator of coronavirus 2 (COVID-19), characterized by pneumonic contagion in human beings. In spite of forceful suppression, this virus has spread worldwide. No specific drugs have been approved by the FDA for treating COVID-19 patients.

Objective: The study intended to examine the data from studies on clinical management of COVID-19.

Design: The research team performed a literature review, searching relevant literature databases. The sources of data included bioRxiv, medRxiv, Google Scholar, Embase, PsychINFO, WanFang Data, and PubMed. The search terms were treatment of the novel coronavirus, management of nCoV-19, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine.

Setting: The study took place in the main library of the University of Sargodha in Sargodha, Pakistan.

Results: The study identified 42 unique studies that had reported and confirmed over 1500 cases of nCoV-19 by April 21, 2020. The studies found that clinical management, for patients who presented with symptoms, included supportive care and control measures that comprised mechanical ventilator support and supplementary oxygen.

Conclusions: There have been intensive attempts to explore drug therapy for the prophylaxis and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection during this COVID-19 pandemic. Several drugs have been identified which including remdesivir, two antimalarials (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine) and immunosuppressive agents. The effects of most drug interventions are currently highly uncertain and several drugs and vaccines are under trail for the effective treatment of COVID-19 virus, until an effective treatment will discover social distancing and physical hygiene should be practiced strictly.