Dr Tee

18/04/2024

ANTI-MALARIALS

Strangely, most of us believe in the superiority of the anti-malarial injections to the oral formulations. This might be the case with some other medications, but in this scenario it isn’t. The injection is usually made of one drug (artesunate or artemether) whereby the orals are combination of drugs in the injections plus one other antimalarial drug (artemether/lumefantrine or artesunate/amodiaquine) indicating the clear superiority of the orals over the injections. The injections would help stabilize you but would not eradicate the malarial parasites in you.

Now, what does the Ghana Standard Treatment Guidelines say: It says give the injections in severe malarial state till the patient is stable and can tolerate orals, then you start the oral anti-malarial.

So it means, in all circumstances you MUST still take the orals. Under no circumstance MUST you take the injections only.

Take Home Message: In situations where you are not having any signs of severe malaria (which would be discussed later), or not severely vomiting or can tolerate orals, AVOID ANTI-MALARIAL INJECTIONS for your treatment. Rather go in for the orals.

Thanks.

Dr Tee

16/04/2023

16/04/2023

21/11/2022

Foods to avoid in G6PD deficiency

Strong Risk (you must avoid): Fava beans

Allowed but Caution Foods: Red wine, all legumes, blueberries, soya products, tonic water.

PS: The severity of the reaction depends on the degree of G6PD deficiency

21/11/2022

Those with POSSIBILITY of causing a reaction:

Aspirin (acceptable up 1 gm daily)
Quinidine
Quinine
Chloroquine
Sulphonylurea (e.g. Glibenclamide)

PS: The severity of the reaction depends on the degree of G6PD deficiency

21/11/2022

Those that would DEFINITELY cause a reaction:

Quinolones (e.g. Ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, etc.
Pamaquine
Primaquine
Sulphonamides (e.g. septrin)
Dapsone
Niridazole
Nitrofurantoin
Methylthioninium chloride (a.k.a methylene blue)
Rasburicase

Yea, you might be wondering, how can you keep all these big name in your head. Well, if you are G6PD deficient, next time you are at a hospital or a pharmacy, do well to tell your prescriber or pharmacist your G6PD status. You can as well check if the medication you are on contains any of the above.

PS: The severity of the reaction would depend on the degree of your G6PD deficiency

21/11/2022

With the medications, they are often divided into two groups: Those that would DEFINITELY cause a reaction when you take them, and those with the POSSIBILITY (but not definitely) of causing a reaction when you take them.

21/11/2022

Do you know there are some medications you are supposed to avoid based on your G6PD status? Find out in the subsequent videos.