Plaquenil tablets 200 mg over the counter in Canada

Autoimmune diseases develop because of abnormal immune activity against healthy cells. The body’s defenses can attack the skin, joints and any internal organ. If treatment is not started in time, there is a high probability of disability and other severe health consequences.

An improper immune response can occur at any age, and it is very difficult to predict or prevent at the current stage of medical development. However, an effective cure for the most common diseases of this type is available today. Patients facing symptoms of lupus and rheumatoid arthritis should buy Plaquenil online. The drug gently suppresses the immune system and prevents complications, including irreversible organ and tissue damage.

he tablets are also suitable for the treatment and prevention of malaria caused by different types of plasmodia. If you plan to visit countries in Africa, Southeast Asia or South America, Plaquenil 200 mg should be a mandatory component of your travel kit.

What is Plaquenil?

Plaquenil is an oral tablet whose main ingredient is hydroxychloroquine. The active ingredient refers to synthetic analogues of quinine. The drug has a triple effect:

• antiprotozoal (only for infection with malaria-causing plasmodium);
• anti-inflammatory;
• immunosuppressive.

Plaquenil is used as maintenance therapy for some autoimmune disorders, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis. The drug alleviates or relieves the symptoms of the diseases and prevents the development of relapses. The pills protect vital organs from immune attacks and greatly reduce the risk of death.

Plaquenil is widely used to treat and prevent malaria. The drug is prescribed to people who are going to travel to countries with tropical and subtropical climates. The medicine has also found application in dermatology. Buying Plaquenil is one of the most effective ways to treat skin diseases caused by exposure to sunlight.

Composition of the drug

Plaquenil contains the active ingredient hydroxychloroquine sulfate and additional substances for better absorption of the product:

• lactose monohydrate;
• corn starch;
• povidone.

An important element of the tablets is the film coating, which protects the drug from external factors and prevents irritation of the esophagus. The coating consists of hypromellose, titanium dioxide, lactose monohydrate and macrogol.

How does Plaquenil work?

Hydroxychloroquine causes the death of most strains of malaria-causing plasmodia. The active ingredient acts both on asexual cells of infectious agents and on gametes. The drug limits the reproduction of the protozoan parasites and quickly ensures the death of the entire colony.

The effectiveness of hydroxychloroquine in rheumatoid arthritis is due to the suppression of immunoglobulin bodies IgM, which destroy healthy joint tissues. In addition, the medication reduces the activity of the enzymes that cause cartilage breakdown: collagenase and protease.

In patients suffering from lupus, Plaquenil relieves inflammation and attenuates the immune response in several ways:

• increases intracellular PH;
• lowers the levels of certain cytokines, cells involved in the body’s defense against foreign agents;
• inhibits the activity of phospholipase A2, which slows down the development of the inflammatory process;
• reduces the synthesis of prostaglandins, which increase the body’s sensitivity to pain mediators and contribute to the spread of inflammation.

The properties of the drug have proven useful in photodermatoses. The anti-inflammatory effect of Plaquenil helps to get rid of burning, itching and erythema.

After taking the tablet components are completely absorbed into the blood through the gastrointestinal tract organs and distributed to the tissues of the body. Maximum concentration of the active substance in blood plasma is reached in less than 2 hours. Hydroxychloroquine gives a long therapeutic effect. During a day, only 3% of the ingested substance leaves the body. Plaquenil is completely eliminated in 50 days.

Hydroxychloroquine is uses in the following cases

The drug is used as a preventive measure at risk of malaria, as well as in the acute course of the disease. It is recommended to buy Plaquenil in Canada for juvenile idiopathic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and photodermatosis.

It is allowed to use the drug in pediatrics and in old age. Hydroxychloroquine tablets are not prescribed for children under 6 years of age whose body weight does not exceed 31 kg. Hypersensitivity to any of the components of the drug and serious ophthalmologic diseases is also a reason to refuse to use hydroxychloroquine. People with liver and kidney disease are especially cautious in prescribing the drug.

Hydroxychloroquine dosage

One tablet of Plaquenil contains 200 mg of the active ingredient. The dosage is selected based on the diseases that the patient has been diagnosed with.

Important!

Keep in mind that the amount of medicine taken is calculated for the “ideal” and not the real body weight. Such a value can be determined by the formula:

• for women – height (value in centimeters) minus 110;
• for men – height (cm) minus 100.

If guided by real body weight, overdose is possible in overweight patients.

Rheumatoid arthritis

When joints are affected, the medicine has a cumulative effect. To achieve results, it is necessary to take the pills for several weeks. If the patient’s condition has not improved in 6 months, therapy is stopped.

At the beginning of treatment, adults are prescribed 2-3 tablets of Plaquenil 200 mg per day, then switch to a maintenance dose of 200-400 mg. The exact amount is determined by the formula: 6.5 mg per 1 kg of body weight per day. Doses of more than 1 tablet must be divided into 2 doses.

No treatment adjustments are necessary in the elderly. For children, the Plaquenil dose is calculated using the same formula. If a child weighs less than 31 kg, the drug is contraindicated. More than 400 mg of hydroxychloroquine per day in chronic juvenile arthritis is not prescribed.

Systemic lupus erythematosus

The initial dosage of Plaquenil is 400 mg once or twice a day. Then the number of tablets is reduced to one or two per day. The drug is not suitable for therapy of autoimmune disease in children.

Photodermatosis

Usually treatment starts with the minimum dosage of Plaquenil (200 mg) once a day. The duration of therapy depends on the course of the disorder and the body’s response to the drug.

Malaria

To prevent malaria, adults take 400 mg of hydroxychloroquine sulfate once a week. Preventive measures should be started 14 days before visiting an endemic area. For children, the dose of the drug is 6.5 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

If you have not had a chance to buy Plaquenil or take a full course before your trip, the dosage is increased to 800 mg twice a day at 6-hour intervals. Children should take 12 mg of the active substance per 1 kg of body weight (but no more than 800 mg). Prophylaxis is prolonged for another 2 months after returning from a trip.

Treatment of acute malaria attacks in adults involves taking 2 g of hydroxychloroquine, divided into several doses:

• first day – 4 tablets of Plaquenil, 6-8 hours later 2 more tablets;
• second and third day – 400 mg of the drug once.

For children, the dose of the drug for malaria is 32 mg per 1 kg of weight (not more than 2 g in total). A total of four applications of the drug are provided. The first involves taking 12.9 mg/kg of the active substance (but no more than 800 mg) at a time, and the subsequent ones – 6.5 mg/kg (no more than 400 mg). The intervals of administration of the tablets must be accurately observed:

• first intake – it is better to take the tablet on an empty stomach;
• the second reception – 6 hours after the first;
• the third reception – 18 hours after the previous one;
• the fourth reception – not earlier than 24 hours after the third use of Plaquenil.

How do I take Plaquenil?

Plaquenil is for oral use. The tablets are taken with food or with a glass of milk. The following rules should be followed when using the medicine:

• Swallow the tablet whole, without chewing or crushing. The absorption of the active ingredient should begin in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Antacids or kaolin are contraindicated for 4 hours after administration of the antimalarial.
• Take a complete course of the drug as recommended by your physician. Improvement in well-being at an early stage of therapy does not mean complete recovery. Premature withdrawal from the drug may lead to a relapse of the disease or exacerbation of symptoms.

If you miss a dose, you should not double the dosage for your next use. Consult your healthcare professional for further use of Plaquenil.

Effectiveness of the drug

Plaquenil is well tolerated and absorbed fairly quickly by the body. More than 80% of patients report an improvement in their well-being after using the drug.

In many cases, basic anti-inflammatory therapy cannot stop the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. But if you additionally buy Plaquenil online, you can control the disease: relieve joint pain and other pronounced symptoms, suppress the immune inflammatory process, slow down the destruction of cartilage. Positive effect can be achieved after 3-4 months of therapy. 

Hydroxychloroquine has proven itself in the treatment of mild to moderate systemic lupus erythematosus. The drug prolongs life and improves its quality in most patients with this diagnosis.

Advantages of the drug

Experts name a number of properties of hydroxychloroquine 200 mg that set it apart from the list of similar drugs:

• Reduced risk of atherosclerosis and antiphospholipid syndrome in long-term treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus.
• Lower toxicity than chloroquine.
• Safety when used properly, no adverse effects on children.
• Reduction of harmful cholesterol levels in the blood.
• According to some studies – prevention of venous thrombosis.
• Plaquenil side effects are observed less frequently than with other rheumatoid drugs.

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Side effects of Plaquenil are extremely rare. Compared with other drugs used to treat autoimmune and rheumatoid diseases, hydroxychloroquine rarely causes adverse reactions in the body.

Is it safe to buy hydroxychloroquine over the counter online in Canada?

You should be examined by an ophthalmologist before starting long-term treatment with the drug. Thereafter, your visual acuity is checked once every 6-12 months. To make sure that a long-term course of Plaquenil does not affect your health, you should have periodic detailed blood tests. 

The number of pills taken and the duration of therapy should be determined by your doctor. When the treatment plan is made, you can inexpensively buy Plaquenil online. Since it is necessary to take the medication for a long time, the price becomes of primary importance. By giving preference to online pharmacy services, you save money without losing the quality of the medication. 

If you experience any side effects of Plaquenil, contact your doctor immediately. Adjusting the dose of the medication has a positive effect on patients’ well-being in most cases.

Can I combine Plaquenil with alcohol?

Specialists do not recommend drinking alcoholic beverages during a course of therapy. It increases the load on the excretion organs and may provoke the symptoms of overdose of the drug. In addition, the abuse of alcohol aggravates the course of diseases, against which the drug is directed.

Can I drive after taking Plaquenil?

After taking Plaquenil tablet, you should exercise caution when driving a car and performing work requiring increased concentration. In rare cases, the drug may cause decreased clarity of vision and an inability to focus on certain objects. If unwanted reactions bother you too often, you need to adjust the dose of the drug.

Can I take it during pregnancy and lactation?

The use of Plaquenil during pregnancy and lactation requires further study. Pharmacists advise resorting to the use of hydroxychloroquine 200 mg only as a last resort. 

Infants are very sensitive to the effects of the drug and breastfeeding should be stopped after starting Plaquenil.

Storage conditions

Plaquenil is stored at a temperature not exceeding 25 °C, out of the reach of children. The drug has a shelf life of 3 years, after which the remainder of the tablets should be disposed off.