s Hopkins on Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine sulfate)

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Antimalarials such as hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are rapidly

absorbed, relatively safe, well-tolerated and often effective remittive

agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, particularly mild to

moderate disease.

Mechanism: The mechanism of action of antimalarials in the treatment of

patients with rheumatoid arthritis is unknown.

Dosage: Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil, 200mg tablets) is the drug of

choice among antimalarials. Chloroquine is no longer recommended because

of its greater ocular toxicity. The usual dose is 400mg/day (6mg/kg) but

600mg/day is sometimes used. Normally it is prescribed as a single

nighttime dose to avoid gastrointestinal symptoms.

Usual Time to Effect: A period of 2 to 4 months is usual. A 6-month

period without clinical effect should be considered a drug failure.

Side Effects: The most important toxicities are ocular: corneal

deposits, extraocular muscular weakness, loss of accommodation, and a

retinopathy that may progress to irreversible visual loss. Ocular

toxicity is only 1 out of 40,000 patients treated at the doses

recommended, but a baseline ophthalmologic examination and a follow-up

examination every 12 months are recommended during the period of

treatment

http://www.hopkins-arthritis.som.jhmi.edu/rheumatoid/rheum_treat.html#hydroxy

I'll tell you where to go!

Mayo Clinic in Rochester

http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester

s Hopkins Medicine

http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org