Table 1.

Torsadogenic Potential and Postmarketing Adverse Events Associated With Possible COVID-19 Repurposed Pharmacotherapies^a

Possible COVID-19 therapy	In vitro inhibition of SARS-CoV-2	CredibleMeds classification	VT/VF/TdP/LQTS in FAERSb	Cardiac arrest in FAERSb	References
Repurposed antimalarial agents
Chloroquine	Yes	Known TdP risk	72	54	3, 19, 20
Hydroxychloroquine	Yes	Known TdP risk	222	105	4, 21
Repurposed antiviral agents
Lopinavir/ritonavir	Unknownc	Possible TdP risk	27	48	22, 23, 24
Adjunctive agents
Azithromycin	Unknown	Known TdP risk	396	251	25, 26

^aCOVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019; FAERS = US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System; LQTS = long QT syndrome; SARS-CoV-2 = severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; TdP = torsades de pointes; VF = ventricular fibrillation; VT = ventricular tachycardia.

^bAdverse event reporting from postmarketing surveillance does not account for prescription volume and is often subjected to substantial bias from confounding variables, quality of reported data, duplication, and underreporting of events.

^cLopinavir/ritonavir has been found to inhibit other severe acute respiratory syndrome viruses in vitro. However, a recent randomized trial found no benefit in COVID-19.