Nivaquine Side Effects

The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute reports that each year between 300 and 500 million people contract malaria worldwide, resulting in approximately 1 million deaths annually. Fortunately, there are a number of medications available to prevent and treat malaria before it becomes fatal, including the prescription drug chloroquine. In the United Kingdom, chloroquine is available under the brand name Nivaquine as an oral suspension. Despite its effectiveness, Nivaquine is not for everyone, as it presents several risks for side effects and complications in some patients.

Common Side Effects

• The most common side effects of Nivaquine are not normally serious in nature, particularly when compared to the potentially fatal effects of malaria itself. Gastrointestinal side effects occur often, such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and loss of appetite. It is also common to experience blurred vision when you begin Nivaquine, though this normally fades as your body becomes acclimated to the drug. Other frequently reported side effects include headaches and itchy skin rashes.

Other Side Effects

• Nivaquine also has the potential to cause a number of other troublesome, but not dangerous, side effects. Some patients notice hair loss or a lightening of hair color while taking Nivaquine, while others report a blue or black discoloration of the skin, finger nails or mouth. Increased sensitivity to the sun is also possible while taking the drug. Neurological or psychiatric side effects are possible, such as anxiety, confusion, personality changes and depression. Infrequently, Nivaquine interferes with the normal function of muscles, resulting in weakness, a loss of reflexes and different perceptions of touch. Muscle or nerve pain also occur in some patients.

Drug Interactions

• Some medications produce unwanted side effects when used in conjunction with Nivaquine. When combined with the antibiotic drug ciclosporin or the cardiovascular drug digoxin, Nivaquine causes an increased risk for side effects. Some drugs cause abnormal heart rhythms when taken with Nivaquine, such as the arrhythmia medication amiodarone, the antihistamine terfenadine, antipsychotics like chlorpromazine and antidepressants like imipramine. Doctors rarely combine mefloquine, another malaria medication, along with Nivaquine as the combination frequently results in seizures. Additionally, Nivaquine is known to reduce to the effectiveness of the rabies vaccine.

Risks

• In addition to minor side effects and the risk of interactions, Nivaquine has the potential to cause serious medical complications. In rare cases of long-term use, Nivaquine sometimes damages the retina or causes permanent deafness. Some patients experience convulsions, delusions or hallucinations while taking Nivaquine. Infrequently, Nivaquine disrupts cardiovascular electrical activity or causes sudden, dangerous drops in blood pressure levels. Inflammation or liver damage to also is possible while taking Nivaquine.

Considerations

• Because Nivaquine causes toxic effects upon the fetus, doctors rarely prescribe the drug for pregnant women. In addition, it is common for children under the age of 18 to experience an increased incidence of side effects from Nivaquine. If you have a history of epilepsy, neurological disorders, porphyrias, psoriasis or kidney or liver disease, your doctor most likely will not prescribe Nivaquine due to its potential side effects. Since Nivaquine potentially can cause damage to your eyes, it is important to obtain regular eye examination if you must take Nivaquine over an extended period of time.