Drug interactions
Artemether / lumefantrine + Quinidine
Severity: Contraindicated
Artemether / lumefantrine and Quinidine: contraindicated 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
Both quinidine and artemether/lumefantrine prolong the QTc interval, so combined use increases the risk of torsades de pointes. Labeling for artemether/lumefantrine warns against use with other QT-prolonging antiarrhythmics.
What this interaction means in plain words
Artemether / lumefantrine and Quinidine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Why it happens
Additive blockade of cardiac repolarizing potassium channels causing QT prolongation.
What to do
Do not coadminister; use a non-QT-prolonging antimalarial or antiarrhythmic alternative.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Quinidine
- Adagrasib + Quinidine Contraindicated
- Arsenic trioxide + Quinidine Contraindicated
- Chloroquine + Quinidine Contraindicated
- Dofetilide + Quinidine Contraindicated
- Dronedarone + Quinidine Contraindicated
- Droperidol + Quinidine Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Artemether / lumefantrine with Quinidine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Artemether / lumefantrine and Quinidine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Both quinidine and artemether/lumefantrine prolong the QTc interval, so combined use increases the risk of torsades de pointes. Labeling for artemether/lumefantrine warns against use with other QT-prolonging antiarrhythmics.
How serious is the interaction between Artemether / lumefantrine and Quinidine?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Do not coadminister; use a non-QT-prolonging antimalarial or antiarrhythmic alternative.
What other medicines interact with Quinidine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Quinidine with, for example, Adagrasib, Arsenic trioxide, Chloroquine. The full list is on the Quinidine page.
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