Description
Hydroxychloroquine belongs to a group of medications known as anti-inflammatories and antimalarials. It is used alone or in combination with other anti-arthritic medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It helps to reduce pain, stiffness, and swelling in joints. It may take several weeks before the beneficial effects of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are seen. Hydroxychloroquine is also used to treat and prevent certain types of malaria. It may also be used for the treatment of lupus.
Recommended doses of the medication vary according to the condition being treated.
Rheumatoid arthritis: The usual adult starting dose is 400 mg to 600 mg daily. It may take several weeks before the beneficial effects of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are seen, and several months before maximum effects are achieved. After 5 to 10 days, the dose may be gradually increased. After a good response to treatment is seen (usually within 4 to 12 weeks), the dose is decreased to 200 mg to 400 mg daily.
Lupus: The usual starting dose for adults is 400 mg once or twice daily. This dose may be continued for several weeks or months depending on the benefits that occur. For long-term use, the dose of hydroxychloroquine is usually reduced to 200 mg to 400 mg daily.
Malaria: The recommended preventative adult dose is 400 mg on exactly the same day of each week, beginning 2 weeks before exposure and continued for 8 weeks after leaving the high-risk area. Children’s doses are based on body weight and are calculated as 5 mg of hydroxychloroquine base per kilogram of body weight to a maximum dose of 400 mg.
For treatment of acute attacks of malaria, the recommended starting dose for adults is 800 mg followed by 400 mg after 6 to 8 hours. This is followed by 400 mg on each of the next 2 days for a total of 2,000 mg of hydroxychloroquine. Some doctors may decide to prescribe a single dose of 800 mg only, as this method has also been found effective in the treatment of malaria. Children’s doses are based on body weight as prescribed by the doctor.
To help reduce stomach upset, hydroxychloroquine should be taken with a meal or a glass of milk.
