Arteether- Side effect(s)

Read the side effects of Arteether as described in the medical literature. In case of any doubt consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Possible side effects include

• Cardiac effects such as bradycardia and QT interval prolongation.

• Neurotoxicity has been shown in animal studies

• Pain at the injection site. This can be overcome by administering repeated injections in alternate thighs.

Other Precautions : Regimens that include only artemisinin or its derivatives should not be used for less than 7 days because of the unacceptable high levels of remissions or relapses of the condition. Hence, it is recommended that artemisinin derivatives be given for a minimum of 3 days until the patient can take oral therapy of an effective antimalarial to complete 7 days of therapy.

Important Precautions are listed below:

• Consult your doctor immediately if your symptoms do not improve, you are unable to eat, or you develop fainting.
• Do not drive or operate machinery
• Do not stop medication
• Finish the entire course of treatment as prescribed
• Inform your doctor if you have existing medical problems including heart problems or HIV
• Inform your doctor of all your other medications
• Monitor blood test once a week
• Take with food
• This medication is only indicated for cases where resistance to quinine is growing

Drug Name : Arteether

Arteether generic Arteether is used for the treatment of severe falciparum malaria active against P. falciparum strains that are resistant to chloroquine , mefloquine, halofantrine, quinine, pyrimethamine, cycloguanil and amodiaquine. Alpha/beta arteether is also used for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. It is an ethyl ether derivative of artemisinin, which is a natural product of the Chinese medicinal plant Artemisia annua. It is used as a second line drug in severe cases of malaria. There are two formulations of arteether – Alpha / beta artheether (of / arteether ) was registered in India in 1997 for use in both children and adults with severe malaria. Artemotil, previously known as beta arteether was registered in Netherlands in 2000. There is a restriction on this drug for children lesser than 16 years due to a possible effect on the heart.
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