ARTEMETHER/LUMEFANTRINE = AL oral
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.
– 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 - 
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Leave tablets in blisters until use. Once a tablet is removed from its blister, it must be administered immediately.