Quinina para el paludismo

About quinine for malaria

Malaria is a very serious infection which you can develop from a bite from an infected mosquito. The most common symptom is high temperature (fever) and a flu-like illness. Malaria can occur even up to a year after travelling in an area in which there is malaria. Prompt treatment for malaria is essential. If you feel unwell and have recently visited an area in which there is malaria, you should seek prompt medical advice, even if you have taken your antimalarial medication correctly.

Malaria is caused by a parasite called plasmodium. The parasite lives inside the stomach of an infected female mosquito and is passed to humans from a mosquito bite. There are four types of plasmodium that cause malaria. Of the four, Plasmodium falciparum is usually the most serious, so this type of malaria is likely to be treated in hospital.

Quinine is also used to treat night-time leg cramps. For information about this please see the medicine leaflet Quinine for leg cramps.

Antes de tomar quinina

Algunos medicamentos no son adecuados para personas con determinadas afecciones, y a veces un medicamento sólo puede utilizarse si se toman precauciones adicionales. Por estas razones, antes de empezar a tomar quinina es importante que su médico lo sepa:

• Si está embarazada o en periodo de lactancia.

• Si tiene problemas oculares o auditivos.

• Si padece alguna enfermedad cardiaca, como un ritmo cardiaco irregular.

• Si tiene problemas renales o hepáticos.

• Si tiene sangre en la orina.

• Si le han dicho que tiene un desequilibrio de los niveles de sal en la sangre.

• Si padece una enfermedad que causa debilidad muscular, llamada miastenia gravis.

• If you have glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. This is a genetic disorder where there is a lack of an enzyme often known as G6PD. People with this disorder have problems after eating foods such as fava beans.

• Si está tomando otros medicamentos. Esto incluye cualquier medicamento que esté tomando y que pueda adquirirse sin receta, así como medicamentos a base de plantas y complementarios.

• Si alguna vez ha tenido una reacción alérgica a un medicamento, o si ha tenido una mala reacción a la quinina del agua tónica o de cualquier otro refresco.
  

Cómo tomar quinina

• Antes de iniciar el tratamiento, lea el prospecto impreso del fabricante que encontrará en el interior del envase. Le dará más información sobre la quinina y le proporcionará una lista completa de los efectos secundarios que puede experimentar al tomarla.

• Take quinine exactly as your doctor tells you to. If you are being treated in hospital, your nurse will tell you when your tablets are due. If you are being treated at home, your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how many tablets to take for each dose, and when the doses should be taken. Your dose will also be printed on the label of the pack to remind you about what the doctor said to you. Space the doses evenly throughout the day and continue to take the tablets until the course is finished, unless your doctor tells you to stop sooner. It is important you do this even if you feel better. It is to make sure that all of the parasite has been removed from your body.

• Swallow your doses with a drink of water. You can take quinine tablets either before or after meals.

• Si olvida tomar una dosis, tómela en cuanto se acuerde. Intente tomar el número correcto de dosis cada día, pero no tome dos dosis al mismo tiempo para compensar la dosis olvidada.

Aproveche al máximo su tratamiento

• If you are being treated from home, make sure you keep your regular appointments with your doctor. This is so your doctor can check on your progress.

• Your doctor will discuss with you the possibility of unwanted side-effects of the treatment. It is important that you let your doctor know, before you take your next dose, if you experience any of the following: impaired hearing, ringing noises in your ear, headaches, feeling sick (nausea), or any problems with your eyesight.

• Quinine is present in drinks such as tonic water and bitter lemon. It is probably best to avoid these drinks while you are taking quinine tablets.

• Nunca tome más de la dosis prescrita. Tomar demasiada quinina puede causar problemas graves. Además, la quinina es peligrosa si la toma un niño, por lo que hay que mantener los comprimidos fuera del alcance de los niños. Si sospecha que alguien ha tomado una sobredosis de quinina o se la ha tragado por accidente, debe ponerse inmediatamente en contacto con un médico. También puede acudir al servicio de urgencias de un hospital local. No se demore. Llévese el envase, aunque esté vacío. Así el médico sabrá lo que se ha tomado.

• Si compra algún medicamento, compruebe siempre con un farmacéutico que es adecuado para tomarlo con sus otros medicamentos. Esto se debe a que algunos medicamentos (como la cimetidina, que se toma para el ardor de estómago) pueden interferir con la quinina y aumentar el riesgo de efectos secundarios graves.

• If you are being treated for diabetes, quinine can lower the level of sugar in your blood. Your doctor will be able to advise you about this.

¿Puede causar problemas la quinina?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the side-effects associated with quinine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. Although unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to a new medicine, serious side-effects do still sometimes occur. Contact your doctor for advice as soon as possible if you experience any of the following:

Si experimenta cualquier otro síntoma que crea que puede deberse a los comprimidos, consulte a su médico o farmacéutico.

Cómo conservar la quinina

• Mantenga todos los medicamentos fuera del alcance y de la vista de los niños.

• Almacenar en un lugar fresco y seco, lejos del calor y la luz directos.
  

Información importante sobre todos los medicamentos