Drug Name

Chloroquine

Drug Uses

Chloroquine is used for treating as well as suppressing acute attacks of confident strains of malaria as well as a confident type of parasitic infection (extraintestinal amebiasis). It may as well as be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

How Taken

Take Chloroquine as directed by your doctor.

• Chloroquine may be used with or without food. Incase stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.
• Do not take antacids or products containing kaolin within 4 hours before or after using Chloroquine.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may possess about how to take Chloroquine.

Drug Class as well as Mechanism

Chloroquine is an aminoquinoline. It is thought to kill sensitive malaria parasites by stopping common metabolism inside the parasite.

Missed Dose

Incase you miss a dose of Chloroquine as well as are using it regularly, take it as soon as likely. Incase it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose as well as go back to your normal dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Chloroquine at room temperature, between 68 as well as 77 degrees F (20 as well as 25 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, as well as light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep in a close, light-resistant container. Keep Chloroquine out of the reach of children as well as away from pets.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not take Chloroquine if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Chloroquine;
• you possess vision problems or retinal changes;
• you are using arsenic, astemizole, terfenadine, cimetidine, cisapride, quinacrine, or dofetilide.

Contact your doctor or health care provider fair away incase any of these apply to you.

Important:

• Chloroquine may cause dizziness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Chloroquine. Using Chloroquine alone, with confident other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or to perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Incase your symptoms do not improve or incase they become worse, check with your doctor.
• Chloroquine may cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Avoid exposure to the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Chloroquine. Take a sunscreen or protective clothing incase you must be outside for a prolonged period.
• Contact your health care provider incase you notice any muscle weakness or problems with vision or hearing. Your knee as well as ankle reflexes will be tested periodically.
• Lab tests, such as total blood cell counts as well as eye tests, may be needed to monitor your progress. Be sure to keep appointments.
• Pregnancy as well as breast-feeding: Incase you become pregnant while using Chloroquine, discuss with your doctor the benefits as well as risks of using Chloroquine during pregnancy. Chloroquine is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while using Chloroquine.

Likely Side Effects

Check with your doctor incase any of these most ordinary side effects persist or become bothersome:

• appetite loss; clumsiness; diarrhea; dizziness; feeling of whirling motion; mild headache; nausea; stomach cramps; vomiting.

Seek health examination attention fair away incase any of these very bad side effects occur:

• very bad allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bizarre behavior; change in color or skin or inside of mouth; diarrhea; difficulty seeing as well as reading (words, letters, or parts of objects missing when reading); fever or sore throat; hair loss; hearing loss; mood changes; ringing in the ears; seizures; sensitivity to sunlight; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual weakness; vision problems; weight loss.

More Information

Chloroquine is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.

Incase your symptoms do not improve or incase they become worse, check with your doctor.