Chloroquine diphosphate is a drug indicated for the treatment of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malaria and oval Plasmodium, hepatic amebiasis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and diseases that cause eye sensitivity to light.
This medicine can be purchased from pharmacies, upon presentation of a prescription.
- The dose of chloroquine depends on the disease to be treated.
- The tablets should be taken after meals to avoid nausea and vomiting.
The recommended dose is
The treatment of P. vivax and P. oval malaria with chloroquine should be associated with primaquine, for 7 days for children between 4 and 8 years and 7 days for children over 9 years and adults.
There are not enough chloroquine tablets for children weighing less than 15 kg, as therapeutic recommendations include split tablets.
The maximum recommended dose in adults is 4 mg/kg per day, for one to six months, depending on the response to treatment.
The recommended dose for adults is 600 mg chloroquine on the first and second days, followed by 300 mg per day for two to three weeks.
In children, the recommended dose is 10 mg / kg / day of chloroquine, for 10 days or at the discretion of the doctor.
Chloroquine is not recommended for the treatment of new coronavirus infection, as it has been shown in several clinical trials in patients with COVID-19 that this drug increases the frequency of serious side effects as well as mortality, and has shown no benefit. Effects. in its use, which led to the discontinuation of ongoing clinical trials with the drug.
However, the results of these tests are being analyzed to understand the methodology and integrity of the data.
According to Anvisa, the purchase of chloroquine from the pharmacy is still allowed, but only for people with a prescription subject to special control, for the indications mentioned above or who were already indicated for the drug, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
See the results of chloroquine studies to treat COVID-19 and other medications that are also under study.
This medicine should not be used in people with hypersensitivity to any of the components of the formula, people with epilepsy, myasthenia gravis, psoriasis or other exfoliating diseases.
In addition, it should not be used to treat malaria in people with late skin porphyria and should be used with caution in people with liver disease and gastrointestinal, neurological and blood disorders.
The most common side effects that can occur when using chloroquine are headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, itching, irritation and reddish spots on the skin.
In addition, mental confusion, seizures, low blood pressure, changes in the electrocardiogram, and double or blurred vision may also occur.