DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
The dosage of chloroquine phosphate is often expressed in terms of equivalent chloroquine base. Each 500 mg tablet of ARALEN contains the equivalent of 300 mg chloroquine base. In infants and children the dosage is preferably calculated by body weight.
Malaria
Suppression — Adult Dose: 500 mg (= 300 mg base) on exactly the same day of each week.
Pediatric Dose: The weekly suppressive dosage is 5 mg calculated as base, per kg of body weight, but should not exceed the adult dose regardless of weight.
If circumstances permit, suppressive therapy should begin two weeks prior to exposure. However, failing this in adults, an initial double (loading) dose of 1 g (= 600 mg base), or in children 10 mg base/kg may be taken in two divided doses, six hours apart. The suppressive therapy should be continued for eight weeks after leaving the endemic area.
For Treatment of Acute Attack
Adults: An initial dose of 1 g (= 600 mg base) followed by an additional 500 mg (= 300 mg base) after six to eight hours and a single dose of 500 mg (= 300 mg base) on each of two consecutive days. This represents a total dose of 2.5 g chloroquine phosphate or 1.5 g base in three days.
The dosage for adults of low body weight and for infants and children should be determined as follows:
First dose: 10 mg base per kg (but not exceeding a single dose of 600 mg base).
Second dose: (6 hours after first dose) 5 mg base per kg (but not exceeding a single dose of 300 mg base).
Third dose: (24 hours after first dose) 5 mg base per kg.
Fourth dose: (36 hours after first dose) 5 mg base per kg.
For radical cure of vivax and malariae malaria concomitant therapy with an 8-aminoquinoline compound is necessary.
Extraintestinal Amebiasis
Adults, 1 g (600 mg base) daily for two days, followed by 500 mg (300 mg base) daily for at least two to three weeks. Treatment is usually combined with an effective intestinal amebicide.
Geriatric Use
See PRECAUTIONS, Geriatric Use.
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