Smart Patients Get Smart Care™

The World’s Leading Authority for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients

Ask the Pharmacist: Drug interactions between CLL drugs and discussed hydroxychloroquine/Z-pack combo possibly for COVID-19

In science and medicine, information is constantly changing and may become out-of-date as new data emerge. All articles and interviews are informational only, should never be considered medical advice, and should never be acted on without review with your health care team.

Question

Any known contraindication to taking the much discussed hydroxyclhoroquine/Z-pack combo with Ibrutinib if I as a CLL patient contract covid19? As I understand it had been used to treat malaria as well as rheumatoid arthritis. I also recall Ibrutinib was initially developed to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Answer

Here is the answer from Tom henry, our pharmacist.

I performed a drug interaction check on the most commonly used oral CLL drugs ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, venetoclax, duvelisib and idelalisib in combination with both hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin (Z-Pak). The only interactions were with idelalisib or duvelisib and hydroxychloroquine.

There is also a potential interaction between hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin with an increased risk of heart irregularities.

 

 

CLL Society - COVID-19
RECENT NEWS

When appropriate, the CLL Society will be posting updates and background information on the present Coronavirus pandemic focusing on reliable primary sources of information and avoiding most of the news that is not directly from reliable medical experts or government and world health agencies.