How Effective is Hydroxychloroquine, Know It’s Dosage, Side Effects

Long term use or overdosing of hydroxychloroquine may lead to permanent damage of your eye retina. Stop using this drug and contact your doctor immediately if you discover color change or swelling of your eye, see light flashes or streaks in your vision or when you have difficulties in focusing.

Hydroxychloroquine is a type of quinoline drug for effective prevention or treatment malaria. Malaria is originated by parasites which come into the body via mosquito bite. This disease is most common in South America, south Asia and in Africa.

However hydroxychloroquine will not treat all types of malaria. Hydroxychloroquine is an effective anti-rheumatic medication used in treatment of systematic or discoid lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Before taking hydroxychloroquine one should inform their doctor if one has:

• Psoriasis,
• Allergy towards any medicine,
• Alcoholism,
• Liver illness,
• Porphyria or
• Glucose six phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) insufficiency.

Contact poison (PCC) control center immediately and seek quick medical help when you suspect you have consumed hydroxychloroquine in excess. Excess amount of hydroxychloroquine can cause death, particularly in children.

You should use hydroxychloroquine until you complete the prescribed period of time. Your signs of malaria can get better before the virus is totally eliminated.

You should inform the doctor if the condition is not getting better after six months when treating arthritis or lupus.

• Do not take this medicine if one has allergy towards it.
• Hydroxychloroquine must not be utilized for longterm therapy in children.
• It is not clear whether hydroxychloroquine can hurt your unborn child. Inform the physician if you are or planning to be pregnant.
• Malaria has high risk of death in expectant women. Tell the physician if you are travelling to malaria prone zones while pregnant.
• It also not established whether hydroxychloroquine mixes with mothers’ milk or if it can hurt a nursing child. Notify if you are using this drug and breastfeeding.
• This medicine hydroxychloroquine is not permitted for people under the age of 18 yrs.

For treating acute infection: Take hydroxychloroquine 800 milligrams (620 milligrams base) then take 400 milligrams (310 milligrams base)after between six to eight hours, then followed with 400 milligrams (310 milligrams base) once daily for 2 uninterrupted days; OR 1 dosage of 800 milligrams (620 milligrams base) has also been successful’

Dosage with regard to body weight:

1st dosage: Take hydroxychloroquine 10 milligrams base per kg (not surpassing 620 milligrams base)

2nd dosage: Take 5 milligrams base per kg (not surpassing 310 milligrams base) six hours post initial dosage.

Third dosage: Take 5 milligrams base per kg 18 hours post 2nd dosage.

Fourth dosage: Take 5 milligrams base per kg per day post 3rd dosage

Take every single dosage with milk or meal.

Affiliated treatment using an eight-aminoquinoline medicine is essential for drastic therapy of malariae or vivax malaria.

Suppression dosage: Take hydroxychloroquine orally 400 milligrams (310 milligrams base) once each week on same day.

Suppressive treatment must be initiated two weeks to exposure. Though if this fails, a starting dosage of 800 milligrams can be administered in two divided dosages within 6 hours spacing. Suppressive treatment must go on for 2 months after coming from the prevalent area.

Take every single dosage with milk or meal.

Starting dosage: Take between 400 to 600 milligrams orally once daily.

Maintenance dosage: Take hydroxychloroquine orally 200 to 400 milligrams (155 to 310 milligrams base) one daily.

Take every single dosage with milk or meal.

Starting dosage: Take orally 400 milligrams (310 milligrams base) once or two times for weeks / months depending with response to treatment.

Maintenance dosage: Take hydroxychloroquine orally between 200 to 400 milligrams (155 to 310 milligrams base) once each day.

Take every single dosage with milk or meal.

Suppression dosage:

for children 1 year and above: Take hydroxychloroquine orally 5 milligrams base per kg of body weight (not more than 310 milligrams base) once each week on same day.

Suppressive treatment must be initiated 2 weeks to exposure. Though, if this fails a starting dosage of 800 milligrams can be administered in 2 divided dosages within 6 hours spacing. Suppressive treatment must go on for 2 months after coming from the prevalent area.

You should take every single dosage with milk or meal.

Case Review (n=25)

Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDMS):

For children between 1.5 to 15 yrs: Take hydroxychloroquine orally 7 milligrams per kg each day (supplemented to initial course therapy for JDMS when the patient in question has widespread skin that requires steroids in large amounts)

You should take every single dosage with milk or meal.

Get immediate help if you have symptoms of an allergy towards hydroxychloroquine such as breathing, hives, difficulty, swelling of the face, throat, tongue, or lips,.

Long term use or overdosing of hydroxychloroquine may lead to permanent damage of your eye retina. Ban the use of this drug and contact your doctor immediately if you discover color change or swelling of your eye, see light flashes or streaks in your vision or when you have difficulties in focusing.

Contact your doctor immediately if you experience the severe side effects of hydroxychloroquine;

• Weak pulse and very dawdling heart rate,
• Serious dizziness, headache and chest pains, rapid or throbbing heartbeats,
• Tingling, weakness or numbness of the muscle,
• Symptoms of low blood cell levels such as sore throat, chills, fever, feeling sick, weakness, mouth and skin sores, swollen gums, pale skin, quick heartbeats, feeling light headed, unfamiliar bleeding, easy bruising.
• Signs of low blood sugar levels, like hunger, headache, sweating, dizziness, irritability, nausea, feeling anxious and shaky and fast heart rate.

Common side effects of hydroxychloroquine may comprise:

• Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting,
• Dizziness, headache, ringing sound in your ears,
• Weight loss, lack of appetite,
• Hair loss,
• Mood swings, feeling irritable or nervous are also side effects of hydroxychloroquine,
• Skin itches or rashes.

Also Read:

• What is Cerebral Malaria & How is it Treated?
• Is Malaria Contagious, Know the Incubation Period, Treatment, Recovery Period of Malaria?
• How is Malaria Transmitted?|Treatment & Prevention of Malaria