Méfloquine pour la prévention du paludisme

About mefloquine

Mefloquine tablets help to protect you from malaria when you travel to areas where this can be a problem. Malaria is a serious infection. It is common in tropical countries such as parts of Africa, Asia, South and Central America, and the Middle East. Malaria is a disease which is passed on to humans by infected mosquitoes. A parasite called plasmodium lives inside the stomachs of infected female mosquitoes and is passed on to humans by a bite. Mefloquine works by killing the parasites passed into your body from the bites of the infected mosquitoes.

Étant donné que les caractéristiques du paludisme varient en fonction de la région du monde où vous vous rendez, de la saison et du type d'activité que vous avez prévu, vous devriez toujours obtenir les conseils les plus récents sur la prévention du paludisme auprès de votre médecin, de votre pharmacien ou de l'organisateur de votre voyage. Un voyage avec sac à dos peut nécessiter des mesures préventives contre le paludisme différentes de celles requises pour un voyage d'affaires dans une ville.

Mefloquine tablets are not available on the NHS, although you will require a prescription from a doctor to obtain them. You will be given a private (non-NHS) prescription to take to your local pharmacy, and you will be asked to pay for the tablets when they are supplied.

Mefloquine can sometimes be given to treat malaria in people who have become infected. This leaflet does not contain information about this, but your doctor can give you more information if you have been prescribed it for this reason.

Before taking mefloquine

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking mefloquine it is important that your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• Si vous êtes enceinte, si vous essayez d'avoir un enfant ou si vous allaitez.

• If you have epilepsy or have ever had fits (convulsions).

• Si vous souffrez d'une maladie cardiaque.

• Si vous avez déjà souffert de dépression, d'anxiété grave ou de tout autre problème de santé mentale.

• Si vous avez des problèmes de fonctionnement du foie ou des reins.

• If you have had Blackwater fever (a complication of malaria infection).

• Si vous prenez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments que vous prenez et qui sont disponibles sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et les médicaments complémentaires.

• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine. It is particularly important that you tell your doctor if you have ever had a bad reaction to a medicine called quinine.
  

How to take mefloquine

• Before you take mefloquine, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about mefloquine. It will also provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it and what to do if you experience them.

• Take the tablets exactly as your doctor tells you to. The dose to prevent malaria in an adult is one 250 mg tablet once a week. Your dose will be printed on the label of the pack to remind you. (If you have malaria and you are taking mefloquine to treat it, your dose will be different to this.) If you are giving mefloquine to a child, the dose prescribed will depend on the weight of your child. Check the label carefully to make sure you are giving the correct dose.

• Start taking the course of tablets 2-3 weeks before you travel and continue to take them for four weeks after you return. Take the tablet on the same day of the week. If you develop any side-effects in the 2-3 weeks before you travel, speak with your doctor for further advice.

• Swallow the tablet with a drink of water during a mealtime (or just after a snack). If you prefer, the tablet can be crushed and mixed with a little food, such as jam or honey, to make it easier to swallow.

• If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember and then continue with your next dose on the usual day. Do not take two doses at the same time. You must complete the full course of tablets unless you are told otherwise by a doctor.

Tirer le meilleur parti de votre traitement

• Ces comprimés vous aideront à éviter le paludisme, mais il est également important que vous preniez les précautions suivantes pour éviter d'être piqué par des moustiques :
  

  • Couvrez les parties dénudées de vos bras et de vos jambes avec des vêtements amples à manches longues, des pantalons longs et des chaussettes. Ceci est particulièrement important si vous êtes dehors après le coucher du soleil, car c'est à ce moment-là que les moustiques se nourrissent.

  • Utilisez un spray insectifuge efficace sur vos vêtements et sur toute partie de votre peau qui est nue. Si vous utilisez également un écran solaire, appliquez d'abord l'écran solaire et ensuite l'insectifuge.

  • Pulvérisez un insecticide dans la pièce chaque soir, quelques heures avant de vous coucher. Vérifiez que les endroits où vous dormez ne sont pas infestés de moustiques. Portez une attention particulière aux meubles et aux zones situées sous votre lit, où les insectes peuvent se cacher.

  • Si vous dormez dans une pièce non protégée, utilisez une moustiquaire imprégnée d'insecticide.

• It is possible that mefloquine may make you feel dizzy and affect your balance. These effects may continue for a while, even after you have stopped mefloquine. Make sure you know how you react before you drive and before you use machines or tools.

• Your doctor will discuss with you the possibility of other unwanted side-effects. If you develop any changes in your moods, thoughts or behaviour, you should see your doctor before your next dose is due so that you can be given an alternative antimalarial medicine.

• If you have been advised to have an oral vaccine to protect you against typhoid, you should arrange to have this at least three days before you start taking mefloquine. This is because mefloquine can stop the vaccine from working properly.

• If you buy any other medicines to take, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take alongside mefloquine.

• Si vous vous sentez malade, si vous avez une température élevée (fièvre) ou des symptômes grippaux pendant votre voyage ou dans l'année (surtout si elle est inférieure à trois mois) qui suit votre retour, vous devez consulter immédiatement votre médecin. C'est important, même si vous avez pris correctement vos comprimés antipaludiques.

Can mefloquine cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with mefloquine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. Speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the tablets, discuss them with your doctor or pharmacist who will be able to advise you further.

How to store mefloquine

• Conservez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.

Informations importantes sur tous les médicaments