Coartem

Generic name: Artemether And Lumefantrine
Drug class: Antimalarial combinations

Usage of Coartem

Coartem contains a combination of artemether and lumefantrine. Artemether and lumefantrine are anti-malaria medicines that interfere with the growth of parasites in the red blood cells of the human body. Malaria is caused by parasites that enter the body through the bite of a mosquito. Malaria is common in areas such as Africa, South America, and Southern Asia.

Coartem is used to treat non-severe malaria.

Coartem is used only to treat malaria. Do not use this medicine to prevent malaria.

Coartem side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Coartem: hives; fast heart rate; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

worsening malaria symptoms;

severe vomiting, loss of appetite, or being unable to eat;

fast or pounding heartbeats;

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out; or

the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild.

Call your doctor if you develop fever, chills, body aches, severe headache, or flu symptoms after you have finished taking all your doses of Coartem.

Common Coartem side effects may include:

headache, dizziness;

fever, chills, cough, feeling weak or tired;

stiffness or pain in your muscles and joints;

vomiting; or

loss of appetite.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Coartem

You should not use Coartem if you are allergic to artemether or lumefantrine.

Some medicines can interact with artemether and lumefantrine and should not be used at the same time. Your doctor may need to change your treatment plan if you use any of the following drugs:

rifampin;

St. John's wort; or

seizure medicine - carbamazepine, phenytoin.

Tell your doctor about all other anti-malaria medications you have used within the past 30 days.

To make sure Coartem is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:

heart disease;

long QT syndrome (in you or a family member);

liver or kidney disease;

low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood.

It is not known whether Coartem will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Use a barrier form of birth control (condom or diaphragm with spermicide). Hormonal contraception (birth control pills, injections, implants, skin patches, and vaginal rings) may not be effective enough to prevent pregnancy during your treatment.

It is not known whether artemether and lumefantrine passes into breast milk or if it could affect the nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.

Coartem should not be given to a child who weighs less than 11 pounds.

Relate drugs

How to use Coartem

Usual Adult Dose of Coartem for Malaria:

Less than 35 kg: Usual pediatric dose 35 kg or more: 4 tablets as single initial dose, followed by 4 tablets after 8 hours, and then 4 tablets twice a day (morning and evening) for the following 2 days (total course: 24 tablets)

Usual Pediatric Dose of Coartem for Malaria:

5 kg to less than 15 kg: 1 tablet as single initial dose, followed by 1 tablet after 8 hours, and then 1 tablet twice a day (morning and evening) for the following 2 days (total course: 6 tablets) 15 kg to less than 25 kg: 2 tablets as single initial dose, followed by 2 tablets after 8 hours, and then 2 tablets twice a day (morning and evening) for the following 2 days (total course: 12 tablets) 25 kg to less than 35 kg: 3 tablets as single initial dose, followed by 3 tablets after 8 hours, and then 3 tablets twice a day (morning and evening) for the following 2 days (total course: 18 tablets) 35 kg or more: 4 tablets as single initial dose, followed by 4 tablets after 8 hours, and then 4 tablets twice a day (morning and evening) for the following 2 days (total course: 24 tablets)

Warnings

Serious drug interactions can occur when certain medicines are used together. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifampin, or St. John's wort.

What other drugs will affect Coartem

Many drugs can interact with artemether and lumefantrine. Not all possible interactions are listed here. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

other anti-malaria medications;

antibiotics, antifungal medicine, or medicine to treat tuberculosis;

an antidepressant;

antipsychotic medication;

antiviral medicine to treat HIV or AIDS;

an asthma inhaler;

birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy;

cancer medicine;

heart or blood pressure medication;

medicine to prevent vomiting; or

seizure medication or medicine for nerve pain in your face.

This list is not complete and many other drugs can interact with artemether and lumefantrine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Give a list of all your medicines to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.