hydroxychloroquine

Brand name(s):

Plaquenil Sulfate

What is the most important information I should know about hydroxychloroquine?

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to hydroxychloroquine, or if you have a history of vision changes or damage to your retina caused by hydroxychloroquine or similar anti-malaria medications.

Before using hydroxychloroquine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have psoriasis, porphyria, liver disease, alcoholism, or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency.

Call a poison control center at once and then seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of hydroxychloroquine can be fatal, especially in children. Take this medicine for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you have been exposed to malaria, or if you have fever or other symptoms of illness during or after a stay in an area where malaria is common.

When treating lupus or arthritis, tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 6 months of treatment.

If you take hydroxychloroquine long-term, your doctor may need to check your knee and ankle reflexes and also do blood tests on a regular basis to check for harmful side effects. Your vision may also need to be tested every 3 months. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

Hydroxychloroquine should not be used for long-term treatment in children.

What is hydroxychloroquine?

Hydroxychloroquine is used to treat or prevent malaria, a disease caused by parasites. Parasites that cause malaria typically enter the body through the bite of a mosquito. Malaria is common in areas such as Africa, South America, and Southern Asia.

Hydroxychloroquine is also used to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and discoid or systemic lupus erythematosus.

Hydroxychloroquine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking hydroxychloroquine?

Hydroxychloroquine should not be used for long-term treatment in children.

Before using hydroxychloroquine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

psoriasis;
porphyria;
liver disease;
alcoholism; or
glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) deficiency.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take hydroxychloroquine.

Your doctor will tell you if any of your medication doses need to be changed.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Malaria is more likely to cause death in a pregnant woman. If you are pregnant, talk with your doctor about the risks of traveling to areas where malaria is common. It is not known whether hydroxychloroquine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

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