ADAP drugs: primaquine

primaquine (Primaquine Phosphate)

Drug description

Primaquine is a treatment for malaria. Primaquine is also used in combination with clindamycin for treating mild to moderate PCP pneumonia when first choice treatments are not tolerated or not working well. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, commonly referred to as PCP, can affect the lungs as well as other parts of the body, including the skin and internal organs. People who are at the greatest risk of contracting this type of pneumonia are those who have less than 200 T4 cells. Symptoms of PCP include shortness of breath, dry cough, and fever. PCP seems to occur very frequently in women as a first or second AIDS-defining illness. Diagnosis in women is often delayed and the illness may be severe by the time it is detected. Studies are ongoing to determine the usefulness and safety of combined treatment with primaquine and clindamycin.

Side effects
The combination of primaquine and clindamycin is generally well tolerated. Nausea, vomiting and stomach cramps occasionally occur. Other side effects can be anemia, headache, visual disturbance and intense itching.

Dosage
Combination therapy with oral primaquine at 15 or 30 mg daily with clindamycin given intravenously or orally at 1.8-3.6 g in 3 or 4 divided doses daily is effective in treating PCP.

How long it may take to work
Treatment for PCP is 21 days. Most people show improvement in 2-7 days.

Managing side effects
Adverse gastrointestinal effects may be reduced by taking primaquine with meals.

This information is specific to the use of this medication for HIV-related conditions. For additional information about this drug for other conditions, refer to: www.nursespdr.com/ and www.healthanswers.com/Library/library_fset.asp

The drug descriptions on these pages are intended for informational purposes only. The Network does not promote or endorse the use of any specific treatment for any health-related condition. The medications described here can only be dispensed by a licensed health care professional. The information may have changed since these pages were updated, though every effort is made to keep these pages current. Please contact The Network at (800) 734-7104 to make sure you have the most up-to-date information

To drug index To Access Project home page

HOME