Plaquenil is the brand name of hydroxychloroquine classified as a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug, or DMARD. Hydroxychloroquine should be started within the first three months of the onset of symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Dosing
The initial dose of Plaquenil is 400 to 600 mg daily for 4 to 12 weeks. If the medication shows beneficial effects after this time, the dose is reduced by 50 percent, which is equal to 200 to 400 mg a day.
Side Effects
The common side effects of Plaquenil include irritability, nervousness, emotional changes, nightmares, headache and dizziness. The “Drug Information Handbook” also reports weakness, blurred vision, visual changes, decreased appetite and weight loss as side effects.
Monitoring
Patients taking Plaquenil should receive eye exams every six months. Physician should also test periodically for muscle weakness to ensure there is no muscle breakdown.
Toxicity
Symptoms of toxicity are headache, drowsiness, visual changes, and seizures. If left untreated, the patient will experience respiratory and cardiac arrest. The treatment for an overdose of Plaquenil is the administration of activated charcoal, explains RxList.com.
Precautions
Plaquenil should be used with caution in patients who have liver disease, psoriasis and porphyria, which is a disease that affects the nervous system or skin. Patients who have deficiency in the enzyme G6PD should also use the drug with caution.
References
- "Drug Information Handbook"; Charles F. Lacy, Lora L. Armstrong, et al.; 2009
- RxList.com: Plaquenil
