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As it is an unprecedented health crisis, there are more and more attempts to discover a substance that works and adds to the fight against the coronavirus. On this occasion, New York hospitals have decided to meet to carry out a study on famotidine, a medicine used to prevent heartburn, because according to these, this substance could have a positive effect in patients with coronavirus.
Although nothing has yet been confirmed, there are patients who have received the drug intravenously, whose dose turns out to be nine times more compared to the amount taken orally. Until now, 187 COVID-19 patients have enrolled in the clinical trial and preliminary results are expected to be ready in the coming weeks, This was reported by Dr. Kevin Tracey, president of the Feinstein Institutes of Medical Research at Northwell Health.
What is famotidine, the medicine they study?
Famotidine, better known under the brand name PEPCID, It is a medicine used for heartburn, because this usually treats ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux and other injuries in the esophagus. This is usually administered orally through tablets once to twice a day, everything will depend on what the doctor says.
Famotidine side effects
Like all medicines, famotidine also has its respective side effects, among which are headache, dizziness, constipation, and diarrhea. Among the less common and more serious side effects you can find hives, rashes, swelling, hoarseness, and difficulty breathing or swallowing.
Is it safe to use famotidine as a remedy for coronavirus?
Although he is still waiting for the results, Dr. Kevin Tracey has seen himself quite positive, because according to him, “There are many examples in the history of medicine where a medicine designed for one purpose turns out to have an effect on another disease.”; therefore, if its use is beneficial in patients with coronavirus, it would be easier to use this medicine on a large scale because it is “generic, abundant and inexpensive”.
