4) COVID-19 Notice on Cure HHT Website

April 20, 2020
Monday

Special Announcement from Cure HHT:  Got this on my Facebook Cure HHT page page today: "There is growing concern that individuals affected by COVID-19 are at increased risk for thrombotic (blood clot formation) complications and what is referred to as COVID coagulopathy.  The incidence of this complication is reported to be as high as 27%.

This increased risk with COVID-19 infections is particularly relevant to patients with HHT who are on treatment with medications that are either associated with an increased risk for blood clot formation or interfere with the natural clot disintegration.  These medications include:  oral agents such as (1) thalidomide, (2) pomalidomide, (3) tamoxifen, (4) pazopanib (Votrient), (5) bevacizumab (Avastin) - intravenous delivery and other antiangiogenic medications, (6) aminocaproic acid (Amicar) and (7) tranexamic acid (Lysteda).

While there is no evidence that HHT confers an increased risk for acquiring the COVID-19 infection, we recommend certain precautions to minimize the risk for complications in patients with HHT who get the COVID-19 infection.  They are as follows: 

• HHT patients with suspected COVID-19 should alert their treating physician that they have HHT as their diagnosis may be important in any decision to provide prophylactic treatment to prevent clotting;
   
• HHT patients with suspected COVID-19 should undergo testing to confirm/refute the diagnosis as it has considerable management implications from an HHT standpoint;
   
• HHT patient with confirmed COVID-19 infection should notify their HHT center/treating physician of this situation promptly; ..."

 [Maybe add more here later]