Before taking chloroquine

Before taking chloroquine make sure your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• If you are pregnant, trying for a baby or breast-feeding.
• If you have kidney or liver problems.
• If you have epilepsy.
• If you have psoriasis (a skin disorder).
• If you have myasthenia gravis (a muscle weakening disease).
• If you have any problems with your eyesight which are not corrected by wearing glasses.
• If you have any problems with your stomach or intestines.
• If you know you have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (a genetic disorder).
• If you are taking other medicines, including those available to buy without a prescription, herbal or complementary medicines.
• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to this or any other medicine.

How to take chloroquine

• Before beginning treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet.
• It is important that you take chloroquine exactly as directed by your doctor. It is especially important that you do not miss any doses if you are taking it to prevent malaria.
• Do not take indigestion remedies at the same time as chloroquine as they can stop the chloroquine from working properly. Do not take them during the four hours before or after taking your chloroquine dose.
• If you forget to take a dose, take one as soon as you remember but do not take two doses at the same time to make up for a missed dose. If you are taking chloroquine to prevent malaria and you miss a dose, you may not be sufficiently protected.

• Chloroquine should be taken the week before entering a malarial area to ensure there is enough medicine in the bloodstream to give you the required protection.
• You must continue to take chloroquine throughout your stay and for four weeks after leaving the malaria zone.
• Chloroquine is taken WEEKLY. The dose should be taken on the same day each week with water.

• Your doctor will tell you when and how you should take chloroquine.

• Your doctor or specialist will tell you when and how you should take chloroquine.

Getting the most from your treatment

• Chloroquine helps to prevent malaria developing if you take it properly. If you have diarrhoea or vomiting it may be less effective. If a malaria-carrying mosquito bites you then you could still contract malaria. Therefore you should take the following steps to reduce the risk of being bitten:
  • Sleep in properly screened accommodation or sleep with mosquito netting around your bed.
  • Use an insecticide spray in your room a couple of hours before going to bed. Pay particular attention to furniture and under the bed where insects can hide.
  • Use an insect repellent and wear light-coloured clothing that covers most of the body, particularly after sunset as this is when mosquitoes feed.
  • Important: if you feel ill or develop a fever or flu-like symptoms while you are travelling or within a year of returning home, check with your doctor straight away, saying that you have been to a malarial area. This is particularly important during the first three months after your travel.
  
  
• If you are having any treatment like an operation or dental treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment which medicines you are taking.
• If you are taking chloroquine for rheumatoid arthritis or lupus erythematosus, keep your regular doctor's appointment so your progress can be monitored. Your doctor may advise you to have regular eye tests if you take chloroquine over a long period of time, as chloroquine can affect your eyesight.
• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take with chloroquine.

Can chloroquine cause problems?

All medicines can cause unwanted side-effects along with their useful effects. These usually improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine. When chloroquine is used to prevent malaria, any side-effects are generally not serious but may be more serious when chloroquine is taken for a long time. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side-effects continue or become troublesome.

How to store chloroquine

• Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
• Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

Important information about all medicines

References

• Manufacturer's PIL, Avloclor® Tablets, AstraZeneca UK Limited, electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated December 2008, accessed October 2009.
• Manufacturer's PIL, Nivaquine® Syrup, sanofi-aventis, electronic Medicines Compendium. Dated July 2008, accessed October 2009.
• British National Formulary; 58th Edition (September 2009) British Medical Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, London (link to current BNF).