Malarone is a type of medication that is known as an antimalarial. It is used in two ways. Firstly to treat a patient who has contracted malaria and secondly as a prophylaxis - to prevent someone from contracting it in the first place.
Before you travel, it is vital that you check which medications you will need to take, as this will vary between countries. These recommendations are also prone to change, so it is important that you check the latest NHS and Foreign Office advice to make sure that you are prescribed the correct medications. For this reason Malarone may not be suitable for you, even if it is a recommended antimalarial for the area which you are travelling to. Malarone may not be an appropriate prophylaxis if your trip is longer than 28 days.
Yes, Malarone is an effective drug in preventing malaria, though no medication can provide 100% protection and there is not one recommended medication that is better than another for the region to which you are traveling. The most important thing to ensure that you take a recommended medication, which is suitable for the region you are travelling to.
Yes, Malarone is safe, but it is important that you tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications as Mararone can interact with these and cause them to become less potent.
You should avoid taking Malarone with metoclopramide, which is prescribed as a treatment for vomiting and nausea. It may also interact with certain antibiotics such as tetracyclines and rifampicin. It is advisable not to take Malarone with the anti-coagulant medication Warfarin. There are other drugs with which Malarone interacts, so make sure you tell your doctor if you are taking anything.
The most common side effects of Malarone are:
Other common side effects include:
You should not let any potential side effects of Malarone stop you from taking the medication. The effects of contracting malaria are much worse and can, if not detected in time, be fatal.
Malarone, as a prophylaxis, should be taken one tablet daily, starting one to two days before you enter the malarious region. You should continue taking Malarone for one week after leaving the region. Malarone should be taken with food or a milky drink, as this will allow your body to absorb it more easily and thus make it more effective.