Usual Adult Dose for Malaria Prophylaxis:
400 mg salt (310 mg base) orally once a week
Weight-based dosing: 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally once a week
-Maximum dose: 400 mg salt (310 mg base)/dose
Comments:
-This drug should be administered on the same day of each week.
-Suppressive therapy should begin 2 weeks prior to exposure and should continue for 4 weeks after leaving the endemic area.
Use: For the prophylaxis of malaria in geographic areas where chloroquine resistance is not reported
US CDC Recommendations: 310 mg base (400 mg salt) orally once a week
Comments:
-An alternative to chloroquine for prophylaxis only in areas with chloroquine-sensitive malaria
-Prophylaxis should start 1 to 2 weeks before travel to malarious areas; should continue weekly (same day each week) while in malarious areas and for 4 weeks after leaving such areas
-If malaria develops while using this drug for chemoprophylaxis, it should not be used as part of the treatment regimen.
-Current guidelines should be consulted for additional information.
Usual Adult Dose for Malaria:
800 mg salt (620 mg base) orally as an initial dose, followed by 400 mg salt (310 mg base) at 6, 24, and 48 hours after the initial dose
Total dose: 2000 mg salt (1550 mg base)
Weight-based dosing:
-First dose: 13 mg/kg salt (10 mg/kg base) orally
-Second dose (6 hours after first dose): 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally
-Third dose (24 hours after first dose): 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally
-Fourth dose (48 hours after first dose): 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally
Maximum Dose:
-First dose: 800 mg salt (620 mg base)/dose
-Second, third, and fourth dose: 400 mg salt (310 mg base)/dose
Comments:
-Concomitant therapy with an 8-aminoquinoline compound is necessary for radical cure of Plasmodium vivax and P ovale infections.
Use: For the treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to P falciparum, P malariae, P ovale, and P vivax
US CDC Recommendations: 620 mg base (800 mg salt) orally at once, followed by 310 mg base (400 mg salt) orally at 6, 24, and 48 hours
Total dose: 1550 mg base (2000 mg salt)
Comments:
-Recommended for uncomplicated malaria (P falciparum or species not identified) in regions with chloroquine sensitivity
-Recommended for uncomplicated malaria (P malariae, P knowlesi, P vivax [unless chloroquine-resistant P vivax suspected], or P ovale) in all regions; if treating P vivax or P ovale infections, concomitant treatment with primaquine (after quantitative testing to rule out glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase [G6PD] deficiency) is recommended.
-Recommended for uncomplicated malaria treatment for pregnant women in regions with chloroquine sensitivity
-Current guidelines should be consulted for additional information.
Usual Adult Dose for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus:
200 to 400 mg salt (155 to 310 mg base)/day orally divided in 1 or 2 doses
Comments:
-Doses above 400 mg/day are not recommended.
-Higher incidence of retinopathy reported when this maintenance dose is exceeded.
Uses: For the treatment of chronic discoid lupus erythematosus and systemic lupus erythematosus
Usual Adult Dose for Rheumatoid Arthritis:
Initial dose: 400 to 600 mg salt (310 to 465 mg base)/day orally divided in 1 or 2 doses
Maintenance dose: 200 to 400 mg salt (155 to 310 mg base)/day orally divided in 1 or 2 doses
Maximum dose: 600 mg salt (465 mg base)/day or 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base)/day, whichever is lower
Comments:
-The action of this drug is cumulative and may require weeks to months to achieve the maximum therapeutic effect.
-When a good response is obtained, the initial dose may be reduced by 50% and continued at a maintenance dose.
-Higher incidence of retinopathy reported when this maintenance dose is exceeded; 600 mg salt (465 mg base) or 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base), whichever is lower, should not be exceed per day.
-Corticosteroids and salicylates may be used with this drug, and they can generally be decreased gradually in dosage or eliminated after a maintenance dose of this drug has been achieved.
Use: For the treatment of acute and chronic rheumatoid arthritis
Usual Pediatric Dose for Malaria Prophylaxis:
6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally once a week
Maximum dose: 400 mg salt (310 mg base)/dose
Comments:
-This drug should be administered on the same day of each week.
-Suppressive therapy should begin 2 weeks prior to exposure and should continue for 4 weeks after leaving the endemic area.
Use: For the prophylaxis of malaria in geographic areas where chloroquine resistance is not reported
US CDC Recommendations: 5 mg/kg base (6.5 mg/kg salt) orally once a week
Maximum dose: 310 mg base (400 mg salt)/dose
Comments:
-An alternative to chloroquine for prophylaxis only in areas with chloroquine-sensitive malaria
-Prophylaxis should start 1 to 2 weeks before travel to malarious areas; should continue weekly (same day each week) while in malarious areas and for 4 weeks after leaving such areas
-If malaria develops while using this drug for chemoprophylaxis, it should not be used as part of the treatment regimen.
-Current guidelines should be consulted for additional information.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Malaria:
First dose: 13 mg/kg salt (10 mg/kg base) orally
Second dose (6 hours after first dose): 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally
Third dose (24 hours after first dose): 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally
Fourth dose (48 hours after first dose): 6.5 mg/kg salt (5 mg/kg base) orally
Maximum Dose:
-First dose: 800 mg salt (620 mg base)/dose
-Second, third, and fourth dose: 400 mg salt (310 mg base)/dose
Comments:
-Concomitant therapy with an 8-aminoquinoline compound is necessary for radical cure of P vivax and P ovale infections.
Use: For the treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to P falciparum, P malariae, P ovale, and P vivax
US CDC Recommendations: 10 mg/kg base orally at once, followed by 5 mg/kg base orally at 6, 24, and 48 hours
Total dose: 25 mg/kg base
Comments:
-Pediatric dose should never exceed adult dose.
-Recommended for uncomplicated malaria (P falciparum or species not identified) in regions with chloroquine sensitivity
-Recommended for uncomplicated malaria (P malariae, P knowlesi, P vivax [unless chloroquine-resistant P vivax suspected], or P ovale) in all regions; if treating P vivax or P ovale infections, concomitant treatment with primaquine (after quantitative testing to rule out G6PD deficiency) is recommended.
-Current guidelines should be consulted for additional information.
 Detailed Hydroxychloroquine dosage information
What happens if I miss a dose?
Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose.
What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. An overdose of hydroxychloroquine can be fatal, and must be treated quickly.
Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, vision changes, seizure, slow heart rate, weak pulse, pounding heartbeats, sudden dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, or slow breathing (breathing may stop).
Keep hydroxychloroquine out of the reach of children. A hydroxychloroquine overdose can be fatal to a child who accidentally swallows this medicine.
