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Therapeutic action
- Antimalarial
Indications
- Treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria
- Treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to other Plasmodium species, when chloroquine cannot be used
- Completion treatment following parenteral therapy for severe malaria
Forms and strengths
- Co-formulated tablets of artemether/lumefantrine, in blister packs, for a complete treatment for one individual
- There are 5 different blister packs corresponding to 4 different categories of weight:
- 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine dispersible tablet, blister pack of 6 tablets
- 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine dispersible tablet, blister pack of 12 tablets
- 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine tablet, blister pack of 18 tablets
- 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine tablet, blister pack of 24 tablets
- 80 mg artemether/480 mg lumefantrine tablet, blister pack of 6 tablets
Dosage and duration
- The treatment is administered 2 times daily for 3 days. On D1, the first dose is given at 0 hour and the second dose at 8-12 hours. Subsequent doses on D2 and D3 are given 2 times daily (morning and evening).
Weight |
20/120 mg tablet | 80/480 mg tablet | ||||
D1 |
D2 |
D3 |
D1 |
D2 |
D3 |
|
5 to < 15 kg |
1 disp tab x 2 |
1 disp tab x 2 |
1 disp tab x 2 |
– |
– |
– |
15 to < 25 kg |
2 disp tab x 2 |
2 disp tab x 2 |
2 disp tab x 2 |
– |
– |
– |
25 to < 35 kg |
3 tab x 2 |
3 tab x 2 |
3 tab x 2 |
– |
– |
– |
≥ 35 kg |
4 tab x 2 |
4 tab x 2 |
4 tab x 2 |
1 tab x 2 |
1 tab x 2 |
1 tab x 2 |
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- May cause: headache, dizziness and gastrointestinal disturbances.
- Administer with caution to patients taking drugs that prolong the QT interval: amiodarone, other antimalarials, antipsychotics, fluconazole, fluoroquinolones, hydroxyzine, macrolides, ondansetron, etc.
re-administer the full dose. - If the patient vomits within 30 minutes after administration: re-administer the full dose. If the patient vomits between 30 minutes and 1 hour after administration, re-administer half of the dose.
- Pregnancy: no contra-indication
- Breast-feeding: no contra-indication
Remarks
- Take with meals or a fat containing drink (e.g. milk).
- Lumefantrine is also called co-artemether.
Storage
-
- Below 30 °C
Leave tablets in blisters until use. Once a tablet is removed from its blister, it must be administered immediately.
Leave tablets in blisters until use. Once a tablet is removed from its blister, it must be administered immediately.