How should hydroxychloroquine be taken?

Follow your doctor's instructions for using hydroxychloroquine exactly. Read all medication guides or instruction sheets and adhere to all instructions on your prescription label.

Unless your doctor instructs you otherwise, take hydroxychloroquine with food or a glass of milk.

A tablet of hydroxychloroquine shouldn't be broken or crushed.

Usually taken every day, hydroxychloroquine is used to treat lupus or arthritis.

Hydroxychloroquine is typically taken once per week on the same day each week to prevent malaria. Begin taking the medication two weeks before traveling to a region with a high malaria risk. Throughout your stay and for at least 4 weeks after you leave the area, continue taking the medication.

To treat malaria, hydroxychloroquine is usually administered in one large dose followed by smaller doses over the next two days.

Even if your symptoms improve quickly, continue to take this medication for the full duration prescribed.

If you have been exposed to malaria, or if you have fever or other symptoms of illness during or after a stay in an area where malaria is common, contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Protective clothing, insect repellents, and mosquito netting around your bed can help you avoid mosquito bites that can lead to malaria.

There is no medication that is completely effective in treating or preventing all types of malaria. Consult your doctor if you experience a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea during your treatment.

You might require routine eye and medical tests while taking hydroxychloroquine.

Store away from moisture, heat, and light at room temperature.