Proguanil (Systemic)

Brand Names : Paludrine

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For proguanil, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to proguanil. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Proguanil has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in humans. However, it is best if pregnant women can avoid traveling to areas where there is a chance of getting malaria.

Breast-feeding - Proguanil passes into the breast milk. This medicine has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies. However, the amount of proguanil that passes into breast milk is not sufficient to protect the infant from malaria.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of proguanil in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults. However, children should avoid traveling to areas where there is a chance of getting malaria, unless they can take more effective antimalarial medicines.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of proguanil in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of proguanil. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Kidney problems, severe - Patients with kidney problems may have an increased chance of side effects.