WARNING Mefloquine may cause neuropsychiatric adverse reactions that can persist after mefloquine has been discontinued. Mefloquine should not be prescribed for prophylaxis in patients with major psychiatric disorders. During prophylactic use, if psychiatric or neurologic symptoms occur, the drug should be discontinued and an alternative medication should be substituted (see WARNINGS ).
Adult Dosing
General dosing
Malaria Treatment in Adults Treatment of mild to moderate malaria in adults caused by mefloquine-susceptible strains of P. falciparum or by P. vivax: Dosage: Five tablets (1250 mg) mefloquine hydrochloride to be given as a single oral dose. The drug should not be taken on an empty stomach and should be administered with at least 8 oz (240 mL) of water. If a full-treatment course with mefloquine does not lead to improvement within 48 to 72 hours, mefloquine should not be used for retreatment. An alternative therapy should be used. Similarly, if previous prophylaxis with mefloquine failed, mefloquine should not be used for curative treatment (see INDICATIONS AND USAGE ). Note: Patients with acute P. vivax malaria, treated with mefloquine, are at high risk of relapse because mefloquine does not eliminate exoerythrocytic (hepatic phase) parasites. To avoid relapse after initial treatment of the acute infection with mefloquine, patients should subsequently be treated with an 8-aminoquinoline derivative (e.g., primaquine). Malaria Prophylaxis in Adults Dosage: One 250 mg mefloquine hydrochloride tablet once weekly.
Content reviewed and verified by SymptomDx medical team
This information is for clinical reference only. Always verify with current guidelines.
SymptomDx is an educational tool for medical professionals. It does not replace clinical judgment. Verify all clinical data and drug dosages with authoritative sources.