As a patient, I don’t know what to believe!!
Commonly Asked COVID-19 Questions
We asked Clinical Pharmacist, Paul Fleming (PharmD) and Primary Care Physicians to put together a list of the most commonly asked questions about the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Medications.
Does my blood pressure medicine increase my risk of getting coronavirus?
Not likely. The coronavirus uses a protein on the surface of your body’s cells to infect those cells. Scientists working with cells in a laboratory found that ACE inhibitors (eg, lisinopril, benazepril) and ARBs (eg, losartan, valsartan) – the same medicines that you take to lower your blood pressure or protect your kidneys if you have diabetes – caused those cells to have more of this type of protein on their surfaces. These scientists were not working with the coronavirus. Because the coronavirus uses this protein to infect your cells and because these medicines caused cells to make more of this protein, scientists questioned whether these medicines might increase the risk of getting the coronavirus.
BOTTOM LINE: While the results of their studies are interesting, we have no proof that being on one of these medicines increases your risk of getting the coronavirus so you should not stop your medicine. What we do know is that patients with high blood pressure, high sugar, or kidney disease are at a higher risk of being infected and stopping your medicines might put you at a higher risk.
Does my diabetes medicine increase my risk of getting coronavirus?
No, and the only diabetes medicine that has been mentioned by the media is Actos (pioglitazone). The coronavirus uses a specific protein on the surface of your body’s cells to infect those cells. We know that Actos can cause certain cells in your body to make more of these proteins. Because the coronavirus uses this protein to infect your cells and because Actos causes cells to make more of this protein, scientists questioned whether taking Actos might increase the risk of getting the coronavirus.
BOTTOM LINE: Diabetes itself puts you at a higher risk of infection especially if your sugar is high. We have no proof that taking Actos puts you at a higher risk of getting the coronavirus so you should not stop your medicine because it helps keep your sugar controlled.
I heard you cannot use ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) if I have the coronavirus because you will get worse.
There were a couple of people infected with the coronavirus in France that took ibuprofen and said that their symptoms got worse. Based on these few reports, the French Minister of Health recommended taking Tylenol (acetaminophen) instead of ibuprofen for pain and fever if you have the coronavirus.
BOTTOM LINE: We cannot assume based on a hand full of cases in France that all people will have this reaction to ibuprofen. In fact, except for France, other countries including the US still recommend ibuprofen as a good choice for controlling pain and fever with the coronavirus because no other patients have reported having a bad reaction to the medicine. However, if you have high blood pressure, a history of heart attack, kidney or liver disease, ask your primary care provider which medicine you should use to control pain or fever. Ibuprofen may not be the best choice for you.
My medicine comes from China. Should I take it?
Yes, there is no reason not to take a medicine because it was made in China. You are not at a higher risk of getting the coronavirus because your medicine was made in China.
I heard about a medicine on TV that might prevent me from getting coronavirus. Should I ask my primary care provider for a prescription?
No. Chloroquine and Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine) are medicines that are used to prevent people from getting malaria. Neither medicine is FDA approved to prevent coronavirus infection or treat coronavirus patients though the FDA did just authorize the emergency use of both medicines for hospitalized patients with COVID-19. Both chloroquine and Plaquenil can have major drug interactions and cause severe side effects so they are not for every patient. Studies from China show that chloroquine might keep patients from getting coronavirus and suggest that it works to treat patients with coronavirus. Plaquenil, the safer of the 2 medicines, works the same way as chloroquine and in a small study of patients hospitalized with coronavirus infections, seemed to work well for treating those patients. Plaquenil is also used to treat patients with lupus and rheumatoid arthritis and these patients depend on this medicine to control their conditions.
BOTTOM LINE: We do not have good studies showing that Plaquenil can prevent coronavirus infection. While it seems to be effective at treating hospitalized patients with coronavirus, we need larger studies to show that it works to prevent and treat coronavirus. At this time, because patients using the medicine to treat lupus and rheumatoid arthritis really need this medicine and because Plaquenil is on backorder (not available) due to increased prescribing by providers, PPCP providers are not prescribing Plaquenil to prevent coronavirus infections so that hospitalized patients with severe coronavirus infections have a better chance of getting the treatment that they need now.
Telehealth Services
Allergy and Asthma Services:
Charleston Allergy & Asthma
charlestonallergy.com
Now offering telehealth to new and established patients.
Behavioral Health:
Think Boxing
www.thinkboxing.co
Think Boxing is a non-contact boxing curriculum that helps participants release stress and foster better brain balance and wellness. Individual sessions are available via live stream as are group classes for adults, families, teens and children.
Truesdale Medical Center
www.truesdalemedical.org
We offer Telehealth for both medical appointments and mental health. Offering sessions for $65 for the uninsured who need someone to talk to. Contact them for questions on health insurance at 843-285-6775.
Stillpoint Counseling
www.stillpointpsych.com
HealthLinks Charleston readers voted Katy Yahr as best therapist. She is offering telehealth services to help people cope during the shutdown and beyond once the adjustment of returning to activities, pre COVID-19, resumes. Call 843-884-3070 for an appointment.
Dermatology:
Charleston Dermatology
https://charlestondermatology.com/covid-19/
Skin diseases will not stop because of the coronavirus. Charleston Dermatology is open for in-office appointments and now also offering telehealth appointments to best serve their patients.
Eye Care:
Dr. Kerry Solomon
Ophthalmologist
https://www.drkerrysolomon.com/covid-19-update/
Dr. Kerry Solomon is offering virtual telehealth visits for nearly all types of visits. To learn more about virtual visits, please call us at 843-881-3937. The virtual visits include nearly all types of eye care needs – including medical management of certain eye conditions.
Hearing Aids, Hearing and Audiology Services:
HearingLife Audiology
hearinglife.com
Remote Care provides personalized consultations for HearingLife patients to help with remote hearing aid adjustments, connectivity, and more in real time. This service, currently for HearingLife existing customers, is led by HearingLife’s Chief Audiologist, Dr. Leslie Soiles
Hospice:
Summerville Community Hospice House
www.agapehospice.com/location/summerville-community-hospice-house/
Summerville Community Hospice House is offering 24/7 telehealth, as well as in-home visits, auto prescription refills, prescription delivery and testing. Call 843-900-9840 for more information.
General Patient Needs:
Liberty Doctors
libertydoctors.com/lp/telehealth-request/
Established patients can set up an appointment via telehealth with Liberty Doctors. New patients will need to call for more information. When visiting in person, patients will need to sign in and then wait in their vehicles until they are called to enter an exam room. 843-225-8304
Roper St. Francis
www.rsfh.com/virtualcare/
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, coughing or shortness of breath, you can access the Roper St. Francis website for free to speak with a care provider between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. any day of the week. Patients should use the promo code COVID19. Virtual visits outside of this timeframe or that do not have these symptoms will be charged the standard flat rate of $59.
Fetter Health Care Network
https://www.fetterhealthcare.org/
Fetter Health Care Network is a Federally Qualified Health Center, a community-based health care provider that receives funds from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Health Center Program which provides primary care services in underserved areas. Fetter is now offering telehealth medical visits to existing patients.
Truesdale Medical Center
www.truesdalemedical.org
We offer Telehealth for both medical appointments and mental health. Offering sessions for $65 for the uninsured who need someone to talk to. Contact them for questions on health insurance at 843-285-6775.
Oral Health:
Charleston Oral and Facial Surgery
www.charlestonoralandfacialsurgery.com
If you have a new dental need or a dental emergency, COAFS is available virtually to meet with you. COAFS can cooperate with your dentist and other doctors every step of the way on your dental heath journey.
Hehr Oral Surgery
www.hehroralsurgery.com/covid-19/
Dr. Jason Hehr and the staff at Hehr Oral Surgery are offering virtual telehealth consultations for all patients. To learn more about virtual consultations, please call our office at 843-767-3310. The virtual consultations include, but are not limited to, patient needing wisdom teeth extractions/pain, dental implant inquiries, oral infections and all oral health care emergencies.
Pediatric Services:
Coastal Pediatric Associates
www.cpakids.com/coronavirus.php
In addition to offering telehealth, the CPA team is now offering curbside care at the West Ashley office. This service will be available for patients experiencing fever, cough, or any respiratory concerns. In doing so, patients and parents can comfortably wait and be seen by one of the CPA providers all while remaining in their car.
Sports Medicine:
Winning Health Sports Medicine
Call 843-471-0375 for telehealth information
Winning Health is offering telehealth services and in-office appointments for fractures, concussions or other acute musculoskeletal injuries.
Surgeons:
Lowcountry Plastic Surgery
www.lowcountryplasticsurgery.com
Lowcountry Plastic Surgery Center is offering online/virtual consultations with Dr. Hensel for all procedures. Lowcountry Beauty and Wellness Spa weight loss consults and we are doing curbside pickup and shipping for all of our essentials.
The Facial Surgery Center
www.FacialSurgeryCenter.com
Virtual consults are available for migraine, cluster headaches, atypical facial pain, IV infusions and nerve blocks.
Women’s Services:
Rhett Women’s Center
www.rhettwomenscenter.com
Telemedicine appointments for can be made for labs and evaluation for Bioidentical Hormone Optimization, thyroid evaluation, functional medicine appointment to address chronic concerns, weight management and nutrition consultation, supplements, and the detoxification program and gut health consults are available virtually via closed Facebook group.
