How is Malarone taken?

Malarone has to be taken every day in order to protect you from malaria. Treatment consists of one tablet taken once a day. Malarone tablets should be taken with food or a drink of milk as this helps your body absorb the medicine. You need to begin taking Malarone tablets 1-2 days before you travel to a risk area. You also need to continue treatment for 7 days after you have returned to a malaria-free area. Stopping your treatment early puts you at risk of contracting malaria.

If you forget to take a tablet, just take your next tablet as soon as your remember, then continue with your treatment as before. Do not extra tablets to make up for the doses you missed.

Always take the full course of Malarone that you have been prescribed and ask a doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

What is the normal Malarone dosage?

Each tablet of Malarone contains 250mg of atovaquone and 100mg of proguanil hydrochloride. In combination, the two substances provide effective protection from malaria infection.

What if I am sick?

Vomiting and diarrhoea can reduce the effectiveness of Malarone and can leave you vulnerable to infection. If you vomit within one hour of taking your daily tablet, you need to take another one as soon as possible. If you suffer from diarrhoea you need to speak to a doctor who will check whether you are still protected from malaria. Take extra care and use insect repellent and bednets to stay safe if you believe Malarone may not have worked properly.

Please bear in mind that taking an extra tablet after vomiting can mean that you run out of malarone tablets before leaving a malaria area. You must ensure that you have enough malaria medication to cover the full duration of your stay.

Very Common Side Effects of Malarone

• nausea and vomiting
• headache
• diarrhoea
• stomach pain

Common Side Effects

• unusual dreams
• dizziness
• sleeping problems
• mood disorders such as depression
• itchy or non-itchy rash
• fever
• loss of appetite
• cough
• reduced number of white blood cells which means you are more likely to catch infections
• reduced number of red blood cells (anaemia). You may experience tiredness and headaches if this happens
• an increase in liver enzymes (which might show in blood tests)
• low levels of sodium in your blood

Uncommon side effects

• unusual heartbeat (also known as palpitations)
• anxiety
• hair loss
• swelling and redness of the mouth

A very small number of people have reported severe side effects such as sudden difficulty breathing or wheezing; swelling of the eyes, lips, face, tongue, mouth, or any other part of the body; a blistering rash or a rash that looks like targets; peeling of the skin, especially in the mouth, eyes or genital area. These effects can rapidly become severe and dangerous so please contact a doctor immediately if you have any of these reactions.

For a full list of risks and side effects of Malarone please read the patient leaflet supplied with your medication.

Do not take Malarone if:

• you are allergic to any of the ingredients in Malarone
• you have severe kidney disease
• you are pregnant or breastfeeding

Ask your doctor to recommend an alternative treatment.