Coartem: what is it for and how to take it

Content:

• How to use
• Possible side effects
• who shouldn't use

Coartem 20/120 is an antimalarial medicine that contains artemether and lumefantrine, substances that help to eliminate malaria parasites from the body, and is available in dispersible and coated tablets, recommended for the treatment of children and adults respectively, with an acute infection of Plasmodium falciparum  without complications.

Coartem is also recommended for the treatment of acquired malaria in regions where the parasites may be resistant to other antimalarial drugs. This remedy is not indicated for the prevention of the disease or for the treatment of severe malaria.

This medication can be purchased from conventional pharmacies with a prescription, especially for adults and children who need to travel to regions with high malaria cases. See the main symptoms of malaria .

How to use

Dispersible tablets are best suited for newborns and children up to 35 kg, as they are easier to ingest. These pills should be placed in a glass with a little water, allowed to dissolve and then given to the child to drink, then washed with a small amount of water and given to the child to drink, to avoid wasting medicine.

Tablets that are not coated can be taken with liquid. Both tablets and film-coated tablets should be taken with a high-fat meal, such as milk, as follows:

The second dose of the drug should be taken 8 hours after the first. The rest should be ingested twice a day, every 12 hours, until a total of 6 doses from the first.

Possible side effects

The most common side effects that may occur while using this remedy include loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, headache, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, cough, stomach pain, nausea or vomiting, pain in the joints and muscles, tiredness and weakness. , involuntary muscle contractions, diarrhea, itching or rash.

who shouldn't use

Coartem should not be used in cases of severe malaria, in children weighing less than 5 kg, people with an allergy to artemether or lumefantrine, pregnant women within the first three months or women who are planning to become pregnant, people with a history of heart problems or people with blood levels of low potassium or magnesium.