Drug interactions
Artemether / lumefantrine + Primaquine
Severity: Moderate
Artemether / lumefantrine and Primaquine: moderate interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Lumefantrine and artemether can prolong the QT interval, and primaquine has a similar although smaller effect. The combination is often used in practice, but patients with additional risk factors may be at higher risk of arrhythmia.
What this interaction means in plain words
Artemether / lumefantrine and Primaquine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.
Why it happens
Additive prolongation of cardiac repolarization.
What to do
Get an ECG in patients with cardiac disease, a family history of long QT or other QT-prolonging drugs, and correct electrolyte disturbances. Otherwise monitor for palpitations or syncope.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Should I take them at different times of day?
- Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
- Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?
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Other interactions of Primaquine
- Pimozide + Primaquine Contraindicated
- Amiodarone + Primaquine Major
- Amisulpride + Primaquine Major
- Anagrelide + Primaquine Major
- Arsenic trioxide + Primaquine Major
- Asenapine + Primaquine Major
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Artemether / lumefantrine with Primaquine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Artemether / lumefantrine and Primaquine can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Lumefantrine and artemether can prolong the QT interval, and primaquine has a similar although smaller effect. The combination is often used in practice, but patients with additional risk factors may be at higher risk of arrhythmia.
How serious is the interaction between Artemether / lumefantrine and Primaquine?
MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Get an ECG in patients with cardiac disease, a family history of long QT or other QT-prolonging drugs, and correct electrolyte disturbances. Otherwise monitor for palpitations or syncope.
What other medicines interact with Primaquine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Primaquine with, for example, Pimozide, Amiodarone, Amisulpride. The full list is on the Primaquine page.
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