What is hydroxychloroquine? Usage and dosage

You take hydroxychloroquine to prevent or treat infections caused by mosquito bites. The drug has no effect on certain types of malaria (chloroquine resistance).

The effect of hydroxychloroquine drugs

It is also used with other medicines to treat certain autoimmune diseases (lupus, rheumatoid arthritis) when other drugs have no effect or cannot be used. The drug hydroxychloroquine is an antirheumatic drug (DMARD). This medication may reduce skin problems in lupus and prevent swelling / pain in arthritis, although its effects have not been studied.

Some other effects of the drug are not listed on the approved drug label, but your doctor may recommend that you take them. You can only use this medicine to treat certain conditions only when directed by your doctor.

This medicine may also be used for various types of infections (such as endocarditis).

Hydroxychloroquine is used to prevent or treat malaria.

Dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult with your doctor or pharmacist before deciding to take medication.

Dosage for adults

Usual Adult Dose for Malaria : To treat an acute attack: take 800 mg (620 mg of base form) of medication for 6-8, then use an additional 400 mg (310 mg of base), 1 time per day for 2 consecutive days or you can take a single dose of 800 mg (620 mg base form) will also work.

Usual Adult Dose for Malaria Prevention : To prevent the disease, take 400 mg (310 mg of base) by mouth on the same day each week.

Usual Adult Dose for Rheumatoid Arthritis:

1. For the initial dose, take 400-600 mg of the drug (310-465 mg in base form) by mouth, once a day.
2. For maintenance doses: 200-400 mg of medication (155-310 mg of a base form) by mouth, once a day.

Usual adult dose for lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus:

1. For starting doses: 400 mg (310 mg of base) is taken orally 1-2 times a day for several weeks or months, depending on the likelihood of response.
2. For maintenance doses: 200-400 mg of medication (155-310 mg of a base form) by mouth, once a day.

Dosage for children

Usual pediatric dose for malaria:

To treat acute attacks in children 1 year of age and older:

1. First dose: give your child 10 mg / kg of base drug (no more than 620 mg of base form).
2. The second dose: you give children 5 mg / kg of base drug (no more than 310 mg of base form), 6 hours after the first dose.
3. The third dose: you give children 5 mg / kg of base drug, 18 hours after the second dose.
4. The fourth dose: you give children 5 mg / kg of base drug, 24 hours after the third dose.

Usual pediatric dose for malaria prophylaxis: For children 1 year of age and older: You give your child 5 mg / kg of a base drug (no more than 310 bases) by mouth on the same day each week.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Dermatitis : For children aged 1.5-15: give 7 mg / kg of medication daily orally (add the first treatment if your child has a skin rash) wide and requires high dose steroids).

How to use

You can take hydroxychloroquine with food or milk to prevent stomach irritation. Dosage and duration of treatment are based on your medical condition and response to treatment. In children, the dose is also based on weight. To prevent malaria, you should take this medicine once a week on the same day of the week or as directed by your doctor. You should tick the calendar to remember. You should start taking the medicine 2 weeks before going to an area with malaria. In addition, you should take the drug once a week while in an epidemic area and continue taking it for 4-8 weeks after leaving the area or as directed by your doctor. To treat malaria, follow your doctor's instructions.

For lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, you should take this medicine 1-2 times daily or as directed. Your doctor may also increase the dose gradually. When you've been taking the medication for a while and your illness improves, your doctor can guide you to reduce the dose until you find the dose that gives the best results with few side effects.

You should use this medication regularly for best results. To help remember, you should take the drug at the same times each day. In particular, do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. If you stop the prevention or treatment too soon, you may get an infection or relapse.

You should also inform your doctor if the condition persists or worsens. It may take several weeks or months for your health to improve if you are taking this medication to treat lupus or arthritis. However, hydroxychloroquine may not prevent malaria in all cases. If you have a fever or other symptoms of illness, go to the hospital immediately. You may need a different medication and avoid mosquito exposure to treat the disease.

In an emergency or overdose, call 911 immediately or go to the nearest local health station.

An overdose of hydroxychloroquine can be fatal, especially in children.

The treatment of drug overdose hydroxychloroquine must be started quickly. You may get vomiting right away (at home, before you go to the emergency room). You need to ask poison control centers to know how to induce vomiting in case of a hydroxychloroquine overdose.

Overdose symptoms may include headache, drowsiness, changes in vision, bradycardia, chest pain or heaviness, pain spreading to an arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, convulsions (convulsions). jerky), shallow breathing or apnea.

Also, make a note of and take a list of all the medicines you have taken, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the next dose at the scheduled time. Do not take twice the prescribed dose.

Side effects

You should call 911 immediately if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to hydroxychloroquine: rash; shortness of breath; swelling of face, lips, tongue or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have serious side effects such as:

1. Muscle weakness, seizures or uncontrolled movements;
2. Unbalance or coordination;
3. Blurred vision, photosensitivity, see halos around lights;
4. Pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding;
5. Confusion, unusual thinking or behavior;
6. Convulsions.

Less serious side effects of the drug may include:

1. Headache, tinnitus, feeling dizzy;
2. Nausea, vomiting, stomach ache;
3. Anorexia, weight loss;
4. Mood swings, feeling nervous or irritable;
5. Skin rash or itching;
6. Alopecia

This is not a complete list of all side effects and other side effects may occur. If you have any questions about side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Warn before taking hydroxychloroquine

Before taking hydroxychloroquine, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist if:

1. You are pregnant or breastfeeding. You need to take medication as directed by your doctor in this case;
2. You are allergic to any of the ingredients of hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine (Aralen®), primaquine or any other medicine;
3. You are taking other drugs (including prescription, over-the-counter, herbal and dietary supplements), such as: acetaminophen (Tylenol®, other brands), digoxin (Lanoxin®), medications that have containing iron (including multivitamins), isoniazid (Nydrazid®), methotrexate (Rheumatrex®), niacin, rifampin (Rifadin®, Rimactane®), vitamins and herbal products;
4. You have or have ever had the following conditions: liver disease, psoriasis or other porphyrin metabolism disorders of the blood, lack of G-6-PD, dermatitis (dermatitis) or if you drink large amounts of alcohol;
5. You have ever had vision changes while taking hydroxychloroquine, chloroquine (Aralen ®) or primaquine.

Things to keep in mind when using [drug name] in special cases (pregnancy, lactation, surgery, .).

There are no adequate studies to determine the risk of using this medication during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Before taking medication, always consult your doctor to weigh the benefits and risks.

Drug interactions

Hydroxychloroquine may change how your other medicines work or increase the effects of side effects. To avoid drug interactions, it's best to write down a list of all the drugs you're taking (including prescription, over-the-counter, herbal and dietary supplements) and show them to your doctor or pharmacist. To ensure safety when taking the drug, you do not arbitrarily take, stop or change the dosage of the drug without a doctor's permission.

Although some medicines should not be used together, in some cases you can use two drugs together even if an interaction occurs. In these cases, the doctor may change the dose or other precautions if necessary. Your doctor needs to know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following drug interactions are selected on the basis of frequency and do not include all. Medications that may interact with hydroxychloroquine include:

1. Antibiotics, antifungals, sulfa drugs, medicines for tuberculosis;
2. Acetaminophen (Tylenol®);
3. Birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy;
4. Antihypertensive drugs;
5. Cancer medicine;
6. Cholesterol-lowering medications
7. Gout or arthritis medications (including gold injection);
8. HIV / AIDS medicine;
9. Medications to treat mental disorders;
10. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Food, alcohol, and tobacco may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor if you have any health problems with certain medications. Consult your doctor about taking medication with food, alcohol and tobacco.

What kind of health conditions may you have, especially:

1. Blood disease (severe) - hydroxychloroquine medicine can cause blood disorders;
2. Eye or vision problems - hydroxychloroquine may cause serious side effects for the eyes, especially at high doses;
3. Deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) - hydroxychloroquine drugs can cause serious blood side effects in patients with this deficiency;
4. Kidney disease - the drug may increase the effects in patients with kidney disease;
5. Liver disease - the drug may reduce the removal of hydroxychloroquine from the blood, increasing the risk of side effects;
6. Nerves or encephalopathy (severe), including seizures (epilepsy) - hydroxychloroquine can cause muscle weakness and seizures at high doses;
7. Porphyrin metabolic disorders - hydroxychloroquine drugs may worsen the symptoms of this disorder;
8. Psoriasis - hydroxychloroquine medicine can make psoriasis more severe;
9. Stomach or intestinal disease (severe) - hydroxychloroquine may cause stomach irritation.

Preserving the drug

You should store at room temperature, away from moisture and light. Do not store in the bathroom or in the freezer. You should remember that each drug may have different storage methods. Therefore, you should carefully read the storage instructions on the package or ask a pharmacist. Keep out of reach of children and pets.

You should not throw medication into the toilet or plumbing unless required. Instead, dispose of properly when the medicine is out of date or cannot be used. You can consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your medication.

Dosage forms

The drug hydroxychloroquine comes in tablet form and has a content of 200 mg.

Note: Information about medicines and proprietary medicines posted in the Family medicine cabinet section on Khoahoc.tv website is for reference only. Please consult with your doctor before deciding to treat any medicine to bring good effect and safety for your health.

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