Atovaquone is one of the most important drugs for the prevention and treatment of malaria tropica. It is considered equally effective and rich in side effects and is usually used in conjunction with other preparations. It can be administered by a physician or by the patient and is regal orally.
What is atovaquone?
Atovaquone is one of the most important drugs for the prevention and treatment of malaria tropica. Atovaquone is used either alone or in combination with drugs such as proguanil to treat parasitic infections. The main area of use is malaria tropica. The antiparasitic is also suitable for self-administration and can be used both to prevent the aforementioned disease and to treat an existing infection. In special variants, atovaquone is also suitable for children and for women during pregnancy, although in these cases the advice of a doctor should be sought.
Pharmacological action
In the body, atovaquone probably acts by inhibiting the transport of a certain electron. Completely the mode of action of the drug is not yet studied. At the same time, it is known that with the increase of fatty foods, the effect of atovaquone is significantly increased. In the body itself the drug remains for about 70 hours. Within this period, atovaquone develops its maximum effect for about six hours. Subsequently, excretion occurs naturally. Complications associated with atovaquone may occur during breastfeeding, so it is essential to seek the advice of a doctor. Also, giving it to children weighing less than five kilograms is not advisable. In these cases, there are special drugs that also act against malaria and are based on atovaquone. However, the lower dosage in these preparations makes them safe for children. It should be noted that atovaquone in combination with proguanil can only be used against malaria tropica. For the very similar malaria tertiana, on the other hand, atovaquone shows little effect even in combination with other drugs. Consultation with a specialist is required to avoid confusion.
Medical application and use
Atovaquone is mainly used to treat parasitic infections. These include plasmodia, which can be transmitted to humans by a certain type of mosquito and subsequently cause malaria. Atovaquone is equally suitable for preventing malaria and for treating an existing disease. In this setting, however, atovaquone is rarely used alone, as the disease could otherwise recur after discontinuation of the drug and the course of the disease could subsequently worsen. Atovaquone is therefore administered as an antimalarial in most cases together with drugs such as proguanil to prevent the described course. Furthermore, atovaquone is used in cases of existing toxoplasmosis, which can be dangerous during pregnancy. A special form of pneumonia, which can affect people suffering from AIDS in particular, is also one of the areas in which atovaquone is used. Currently, there are no other indications for atovaquone besides the treatment of parasitic infections. There are also no known off-label uses of the drug, which is also due to the sometimes severe side effects of atovaquone. Self-administration of the drug is possible, for example, when traveling in malaria-prone countries.
Risks and side effects
Common side effects of atovaquone include a persistent feeling of dizziness, often followed by vomiting. Furthermore, severe abdominal pain may occur in the upper abdomen. This is often accompanied by diarrhea. Coughing as well as headaches can also be observed, and heart palpitations and also hair loss in spots can occur. Sudden anxiety, which usually does not last long, is also one of the undesirable side effects of atovaquone. There is a small probability of temporary loss of appetite during administration of the drug. It should also be noted that the severity of the side effects often masks the actual symptoms of malaria.Depending on the patient, it may therefore be advisable to discontinue treatment with atovaquone even though the drug is achieving its effect.