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warnings
WARNINGS Chloroquine-Resistant Malaria Chloroquine phosphate tablets are not effective against chloroquine-or hydroxychloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium species (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY , Microbiology ). Chloroquine resistance is widespread in P. falciparum and is reported in P. vivax . Before using chloroquine for prophylaxis, it should be ascertained whether chloroquine is appropriate for use in the region to be visited by the traveler. Information regarding the geographic areas where resistance to chloroquine occurs, is available at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( www.cdc.gov\malaria ). Patients infected with a resistant strain of plasmodia as shown by the fact that normally adequate doses have failed to prevent or cure clinical malaria or parasitemia should be treated with another form of antimalarial therapy. Treatment of Exo-Erythocytic Forms of Malaria Chloroquine does not treat the hypnozoite liver stage forms of Plasmodium and will therefore not prevent relapses of malaria due to P. vivax or P. ovale . Additional treatment with an anti-malarial agent active against these forms, such as an 8-aminoquinoline, is required for the treatment of infections with P. vivax and P. ovale. Cardiac Effects including Cardiomyopathy and QT prolongation Fatal and life-threatening cardiotoxicity, including cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias, have been reported with the use of chloroquine. (see ADVERSE REACTIONS and OVERDOSAGE ). In multiple cases, endomyocardial biopsy showed association of the cardiomyopathy with phospholipidosis in the absence of inflammation, infiltration, or necrosis. Patients may present with ventricular hypertrophy and conduction disorders. ECG findings include atrioventricular, right or left bundle branch block. Chronic toxicity should be considered when conduction disorders (bundle branch block / atrio-ventricular heart block) are diagnosed. QT interval prolongation, torsades de pointes, and ventricular arrhythmias have been reported with the use of chloroquine. The risk is greater if chloroquine is administered at high doses. Chloroquine should be used with caution in patients with cardiac disease, a history of ventricular arrhythmias, uncorrected hypokalemia and/or hypomagnesemia, or bradycardia (20 times the upper limit of the reference range) within days to a month of chloroquine initiation. Measure liver tests p...
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adverse reactions
ADVERSE REACTIONS The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of chloroquine or other 4-aminoqunoline compounds. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Ocular disorders: Maculopathy and macular degeneration have been reported and may be irreversible. Irreversible retinopathy with retinal pigmentation changes (bull’s eye appearance) and visual field defects (paracentral scotomas) in patients receiving long-term or high-dosage 4-aminoquinoline therapy have been reported (see WARNINGS ). Visual disturbances (blurring of vision and difficulty of focusing or accommodation); nyctalopia; scotomatous vision with field defects of paracentral, pericentral ring types, and typically temporal scotomas (e.g., difficulty in reading with words tending to disappear, seeing half an object, misty vision, and fog before the eyes) have been reported. Reversible corneal opacities have also been reported. Immune system disorders: Urticaria, anaphylactic reaction including angioedema. Ear and labyrinth disorders: Nerve type deafness; tinnitus, reduced hearing in patients with preexisting auditory damage. Musculoskeletal and connective tissue-disorders: Sensorimotor disorders, skeletal muscle myopathy or neuromyopathy leading to progressive weakness and atrophy of proximal muscle groups, depression of tendon reflexes and abnormal nerve conduction. Gastrointestinal disorders: Hepatitis, increased liver enzymes, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps. Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders: Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, exfoliative dermatitis. Pleomorphic skin eruptions, skin and mucosal pigmentary changes; lichen planus-like eruptions, pruritus,; drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS syndrome); photosensitivity and hair loss and bleaching of hair pigment. Blood and lymphatic system disorders: Pancytopenia, aplastic anemia, reversible agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia. Hemolytic anemia in G6PD deficient patients (see PRECAUTIONS ). Nervous system disorders: Convulsions, mild and transient headache, polyneuropathy, acute extrapyramidal disorders (such as dystonia, dyskinesia, tongue protrusion, ...