What are the long term effects of taking hydroxychloroquine?

Long-term use and high doses of hydroxychloroquine are risk factors for the development of cardiomyopathy. Cardiac failure, conduction disorders (including QT prolongation and Torsades de Pointes) and sudden cardiac death are consequences of the cardiomyopathy.

What are the negative effects of hydroxychloroquine?

How long can you stay on hydroxychloroquine?

Plaquenil works very slowly. In 1 to 3 months you should start to feel better. You may continue to get better for up to 1 year. Most people who take Plaquenil also take other medicines for pain and stiffness.

Does hydroxychloroquine affect the brain?

Hydroxychloroquine may potentially result in adverse effects on the central nervous system, mainly irritability, nervousness, emotional changes, nightmares, and even true psychoses [3, 4].

Is hydroxychloroquine a long-term medication?

Hydroxychloroquine is often prescribed as long-term therapy for many dermatologic indications, and it may have broader benefits (e.g., preventing or improving thrombophilia associated with lupus erythematosus, neonatal lupus erythematosus, diabetes in rheumatoid arthritis and other connective tissue diseases, and as ...

Hydroxychloroquine's dangerous side effects

What should I avoid while taking hydroxychloroquine?

Hydroxychloroquine should not be taken with other drugs that could cause heart arrhythmias (irregular heart rate or rhythm). Taking hydroxychloroquine with these drugs could cause dangerous arrhythmias. Examples of these drugs include: amiodarone.

Does taking hydroxychloroquine make you immunocompromised?

Please note that hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) does NOT suppress your immune system and does not increase any risk for a more serious illness from COVID-19.

Does hydroxychloroquine cause dementia?

Results indicated that there was no statistical association between hydroxychloroquine use and Alzheimer disease risk (crude odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.50-1.87; P =. 92).

Can hydroxychloroquine cause weight gain?

Abnormal weight gain is a side effect of long-term doxycycline and hydroxychloroquine treatment.

Does hydroxychloroquine affect blood pressure?

Clinically, patients with lupus treated with hydroxychloroquine present a lower prevalence of thromboembolic events [13, 14] and chronic treatment with hydroxychloroquine reduced hypertension and improved endothelium-dependent relaxation in conduit vessels from SLE mice [15].

Can you take Plaquenil for life?

Plaquenil and other anti-malarials are the key to controlling lupus long term, and some lupus patients may be on Plaquenil for the rest of their lives. For this reason, you can think of anti-malarials as a sort of “lupus life insurance.”

How long can you take hydroxychloroquine for rheumatoid arthritis?

Hydroxychloroquine does not seem to confer increased risk when used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis without contraindications in the short term (up to 30 days) compared with sulfasalazine, but confers an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality when used long term.

Can I just stop taking hydroxychloroquine?

Do not stop taking it without talking with your doctor, especially if you are taking it for malaria. It is important to continue taking this for the length of time prescribed. Stopping prevention or treatment too soon may lead to infection or a return of the infection.

Does hydroxychloroquine affect the liver?

Hydroxychloroquine therapy has not been associated with liver function abnormalities and is an extremely rare cause of clinically apparent acute liver injury.

What are the benefits of taking hydroxychloroquine?

Over the long term hydroxychloroquine can reduce pain, swelling and joint stiffness. If you have lupus, it may also improve the rash. It may be as long as 12 weeks before you notice the benefits. Hydroxychloroquine is often taken in combination with other drugs such as methotrexate.

Who should not take hydroxychloroquine side effects?

Can you take vitamin D with hydroxychloroquine?

Interactions between your drugs

No interactions were found between hydroxychloroquine and Vitamin D3.

Can you be in the sun while taking hydroxychloroquine?

Our results have shown that photosensitivity during medication with chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine is uncommon and that there is no need to stop this treatment due to sun exposure.

Does hydroxychloroquine affect your teeth?

Can Plaquenil have effects on my teeth? No, side effects related to teeth weren't reported in Plaquenil's clinical studies. Two conditions Plaquenil is prescribed to treat, RA and lupus, can cause problems related to teeth and oral health.

What is the safest drug for rheumatoid arthritis?

Methotrexate is widely regarded as one of the safest of all arthritis drugs, though it carries some potential downsides. Gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting are its most frequent side effects.

Is hydroxychloroquine good for arthritis?

Hydroxychloroquine is used in the treatment of arthritis to help relieve inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint pain and also to help control the symptoms of lupus erythematosus (lupus; SLE). A common brand name for hydroxychloroquine is Plaquenil®.

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Does hydroxychloroquine affect Covid vaccine?

Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are lysosomotropic drugs that affect antigen-presenting pathways and B-cell activation. Chloroquine inhibits antibody responses to vaccines, but reports about this effect apparently have not been called to the attention of investigators in the field of COVID-19.

How common are side effects of hydroxychloroquine?

Common side effects occur in one percent to less than 10 percent of people. Uncommon side effects occur in 0.1 percent to less than one percent of people. Rare side effects occur in 0.01 percent to less than 0.1 percent of people. Very rare side effects occur in less than 0.01 percent of people.

How does hydroxychloroquine affect the eyes?

Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) and chloroquine cause ocular toxicity to various parts of the eye such as the cornea, ciliary body, and retina. Chloroquine can also induce cataract formation; however, no reports of hydroxychloroquine and cataract have been reported.