lariam mental health issues

DESCRIPTION
Lariam (mefloquine hydrochloride) is an antimalarial agent available as 250-mgtablets of mefloquine hydrochloride (equivalent to 228.0 mg of the free base)for oral administration lariam mental health issues.

Mefloquine hydrochloride is a 4-quinolinemethanol derivative with the specificchemical name of (R*, S*)-(±)-(alpha)-2-piperidinyl-2,8-bis (trifluoromethyl)-4-quinolinemethanolhydrochloride lariam mental health issues. It is a 2-aryl substituted chemical structural analog of quinine lariam mental health issues. The drug is a white to almost white crystalline compound, slightly soluble inwater lariam mental health issues.

Mefloquine hydrochloride has a calculated molecular weight of 414.78 lariam mental health issues.

The inactive ingredients are ammonium-calcium alginate, corn starch, crospovidone,lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, poloxamer #331, andtalc lariam mental health issues.

CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
Pharmacokinetics
Absorption
The absolute oral bioavailability of mefloquine has not been determined sincean intravenous formulation is not available lariam mental health issues. The bioavailability of the tabletformation compared with an oral solution was over 85% lariam mental health issues. The presence of foodsignificantly enhances the rate and extent of absorption, leading to about a40% increase in bioavailability lariam mental health issues. In healthy volunteers, plasma concentrationspeak 6 to 24 hours (median, about 17 hours) after a single dose of Lariam lariam mental health issues. Ina similar group of volunteers, maximum plasma concentrations in [micro ]g/Lare roughly equivalent to the dose in milligrams (for example, a single 1000mg dose produces a maximum concentration of about 1000 [micro ]g/L) lariam mental health issues. In healthyvolunteers, a dose of 250 mg once weekly produces maximum steady-state plasmaconcentrations of 1000 to 2000 [micro ]g/L, which are reached after 7 to 10weeks lariam mental health issues.

Distribution
In healthy adults, the apparent volume of distribution is approximately 20 L/kg,indicating extensive tissue distribution lariam mental health issues. Mefloquine may accumulate in parasitizederythrocytes lariam mental health issues. Experiments conducted in vitro with human blood using concentrationsbetween 50 and 1000 mg/mL showed a relatively constant erythrocyte-to-plasmaconcentration ratio of about 2 to 1 lariam mental health issues. The equilibrium reached in less than 30minutes was found to be reversible lariam mental health issues. Protein binding is about 98% lariam mental health issues.

Mefloquine crosses the placenta lariam mental health issues. Excretion into breast milk appears to be minimal(see PRECAUTIONS : Nursing Mothers ) lariam mental health issues.

Metabolism
Two metabolites have been identified in humans lariam mental health issues. The main metabolite, 2,8- bis-trifluoromethyl-4-quinoline carboxylic acid, is inactive in Plasmodium falciparumlariam mental health issues. In a study in healthy volunteers, the carboxylic acid metabolite appearedin plasma 2 to 4 hours after a single oral dose lariam mental health issues. Maximum plasma concentrations,which were about 50% higher than those of mefloquine, were reached after 2 weeks lariam mental health issues. Thereafter, plasma levels of the main metabolite and mefloquine declined ata similar rate lariam mental health issues. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) ofthe main metabolite was 3 to 5 times larger than that of the parent drug lariam mental health issues. Theother metabolite, an alcohol, was present in minute quantities only lariam mental health issues.

Elimination
In several studies in healthy adults, the mean elimination half-life of mefloquinevaried between 2 and 4 weeks, with an average of about 3 weeks lariam mental health issues. Total clearance,which is essentially hepatic, is in the order of 30 mL/min lariam mental health issues. There is evidencethat mefloquine is excreted mainly in the bile and feces lariam mental health issues. In volunteers, urinaryexcretion of unchanged mefloquine and its main metabolite under steady-statecondition accounted for about 9% and 4% of the dose, respectively lariam mental health issues. Concentrationsof other metabolites could not be measured in the urine lariam mental health issues.

Pharmacokinetics in Special Clinical Situations
Children and the Elderly

No relevant age-related changes have been observed in the pharmacokineticsof mefloquine lariam mental health issues. Therefore, the dosage for children has been extrapolated fromthe recommended adult dose lariam mental health issues.

No pharmacokinetic studies have been performed in patients with renal insufficiencysince only a small proportion of the drug is eliminated renally lariam mental health issues. Mefloquineand its main metabolite are not appreciably removed by hemodialysis lariam mental health issues. No specialchemoprophylactic dosage adjustments are indicated for dialysis patients toachieve concentrations in plasma similar to those in healthy persons lariam mental health issues.

Although clearance of mefloquine may increase in late pregnancy, in general,pregnancy has no clinically relevant effect on the pharmacokinetics of mefloquine lariam mental health issues.

The pharmacokinetics of mefloquine may be altered in acute malaria lariam mental health issues.

Pharmacokinetic differences have been observed between various ethnic populations lariam mental health issues. In practice, however, these are of minor importance compared with host immunestatus and sensitivity of the parasite lariam mental health issues.

During long-term prophylaxis (>2 years), the trough concentrations and theelimination half-life of mefloquine were similar to those obtained in the samepopulation after 6 months of drug use, which is when they reached steady state lariam mental health issues.

In vitro and in vivo studies showed no hemolysis associated with glucose-6-phosphatedehydrogenase deficiency (see ANIMAL TOXICOLOGY ) lariam mental health issues.

Microbiology
Mechanism of Action
Mefloquine is an antimalarial agent which acts as a blood schizonticide lariam mental health issues. Itsexact mechanism of action is not known lariam mental health issues.

Activity In Vitro and In Vivo
Mefloquine is active against the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium species (seeINDICATIONS AND USAGE ) lariam mental health issues. However, the drug has no effect against the exoerythrocytic(hepatic) stages of the parasite lariam mental health issues. Mefloquine is effective against malaria parasitesresistant to chloroquine (see INDICATIONS AND USAGE ) lariam mental health issues.

Drug Resistance
Strains of P lariam mental health issues. falciparum with decreased susceptibility to mefloquine can beselected in vitro or in vivo lariam mental health issues. Resistance of P lariam mental health issues. falciparum to mefloquine hasbeen reported in areas of multi-drug resistance in South East Asia lariam mental health issues. Increasedincidences of resistance have also been reported in other parts of the world lariam mental health issues.

Cross-Resistance
Cross-resistance between mefloquine and halofantrine and cross-resistance betweenmefloquine and quinine have been observed in some regions lariam mental health issues.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE
Treatment of Acute Malaria Infections
Lariam is indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate acute malaria causedby mefloquine-susceptible strains of P lariam mental health issues. falciparum (both chloroquine-susceptibleand resistant strains) or by Plasmodium vivax lariam mental health issues. There are insufficient clinicaldata to document the effect of mefloquine in malaria caused by P lariam mental health issues. ovale or P lariam mental health issues. malariae lariam mental health issues.

Note: Patients with acute P lariam mental health issues. vivax malaria, treated with Lariam, are at highrisk of relapse because Lariam does not eliminate exoerythrocytic (hepatic phase)parasites lariam mental health issues. To avoid relapse, after initial treatment of the acute infectionwith Lariam, patients should subsequently be treated with an 8-aminoquinolinederivative (eg, primaquine) lariam mental health issues.

Prevention of Malaria
Lariam is indicated for the prophylaxis of P lariam mental health issues. falciparum and P lariam mental health issues. vivax malariainfections, including prophylaxis of chloroquine-resistant strains of P lariam mental health issues. falciparumlariam mental health issues.

CONTRAINDICATIONS
Use of Lariam is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity tomefloquine or related compounds (eg, quinine and quinidine) or to any of theexcipients contained in the formulation lariam mental health issues. Lariam should not be prescribed forprophylaxis in patients with active depression, a recent history of depression,generalized anxiety disorder, psychosis, or schizophrenia or other major psychiatricdisorders, or with a history of convulsions lariam mental health issues.

WARNINGS
In case of life-threatening, serious or overwhelming malaria infections dueto P lariam mental health issues. falciparum , patients should be treated with an intravenous antimalarialdrug lariam mental health issues. Following completion of intravenous treatment, Lariam may be given tocomplete the course of therapy lariam mental health issues.

Data on the use of halofantrine subsequent to administration of Lariam suggesta significant, potentially fatal prolongation of the QTc interval of the ECG lariam mental health issues. Therefore, halofantrine must not be given simultaneously with or subsequentto Lariam lariam mental health issues. No data are available on the use of Lariam after halofantrine (seePRECAUTIONS : Drug Interactions ) lariam mental health issues.

Mefloquine may cause psychiatric symptoms in a number of patients, rangingfrom anxiety, paranoia, and depression to hallucinations and psychotic behavior lariam mental health issues. On occasions, these symptoms have been reported to continue long after mefloquinehas been stopped lariam mental health issues. Rare cases of suicidal ideation and suicide have been reportedthough no relationship to drug administration has been confirmed lariam mental health issues. To minimizethe chances of these adverse events, mefloquine should not be taken for prophylaxisin patients with active depression or with a recent history of depression, generalizedanxiety disorder, psychosis, or schizophrenia or other major psychiatric disorders lariam mental health issues. Lariam should be used with caution in patients with a previous history of depression lariam mental health issues.

During prophylactic use, if psychiatric symptoms such as acute anxiety, depression,restlessness or confusion occur, these may be considered prodromal to a moreserious event lariam mental health issues. In these cases, the drug must be discontinued and an alternativemedication should be substituted lariam mental health issues.

Concomitant administration of Lariam and quinine or quinidine may produce electrocardiographicabnormalities lariam mental health issues.

Concomitant administration of Lariam and quinine or chloroquine may increasethe risk of convulsions lariam mental health issues.

PRECAUTIONS
General
Hypersensitivity reactions ranging from mild cutaneous events to anaphylaxiscannot be predicted lariam mental health issues.

In patients with epilepsy, Lariam may increase the risk of convulsions lariam mental health issues. Thedrug should therefore be prescribed only for curative treatment in such patientsand only if there are compelling medical reasons for its use (see PRECAUTIONS: Drug Interactions ) lariam mental health issues.

Caution should be exercised with regard to activities requiring alertness andfine motor coordination such as driving, piloting aircraft, operating machinery,and deep-sea diving, as dizziness, a loss of balance, or other disorders ofthe central or peripheral nervous system have been reported during and followingthe use of Lariam lariam mental health issues. These effects may occur after therapy is discontinued dueto the long half-life of the drug lariam mental health issues. Lariam should be used with caution in patientswith psychiatric disturbances because mefloquine use has been associated withemotional disturbances (see ADVERSE REACTIONS ) lariam mental health issues.

In patients with impaired liver function the elimination of mefloquine maybe prolonged, leading to higher plasma levels lariam mental health issues.

This drug has been administered for longer than 1 year lariam mental health issues. If the drug is to beadministered for a prolonged period, periodic evaluations including liver functiontests should be performed lariam mental health issues. Although retinal abnormalities seen in humans withlong-term chloroquine use have not been observed with mefloquine use, long-termfeeding of mefloquine to rats resulted in dose-related ocular lesions (retinaldegeneration, retinal edema and lenticular opacity at 12.5 mg/kg/day and higher)(see ANIMAL TOXICOLOGY ) lariam mental health issues. Therefore, periodic ophthalmic examinations are recommended lariam mental health issues.

Parenteral studies in animals show that mefloquine, a myocardial depressant,possesses 20% of the antifibrillatory action of quinidine and produces 50% ofthe increase in the PR interval reported with quinine lariam mental health issues. The effect of mefloquineon the compromised cardiovascular system has not been evaluated lariam mental health issues. However, transitoryand clinically silent ECG alterations have been reported during the use of mefloquine lariam mental health issues. Alterations included sinus bradycardia, sinus arrhythmia, first degree AV-block,prolongation of the QTc interval and abnormal T waves (see also cardiovasculareffects under PRECAUTIONS : Drug Interactions and ADVERSE REACTIONS ) lariam mental health issues. The benefitsof Lariam therapy should be weighed against the possibility of adverse effectsin patients with cardiac disease lariam mental health issues.

Copyright 2005 D-S LTD.
All Rights Reserved.