Atovaquone/Proguanil Hydrochloride 250mg/100mg tablets

Description

What is Atovaquone/Proguanil Hydrochloride 250mg/100mg tablets?

 

 

Atovaquone/Proguanil Hydrochloride 250mg/100mg Tablets are an antimalarial medication used to help prevent malaria in travellers visiting areas where malaria is present.

Each tablet contains atovaquone 250mg and proguanil hydrochloride 100mg. These active ingredients work together to prevent malaria parasites from developing within the body following an infected mosquito bite.

This medication is the generic equivalent of Malarone Adult and provides effective protection against malaria when taken as directed.

Atovaquone/Proguanil is supplied following a travel health assessment to ensure it is appropriate for your destination, travel itinerary and medical history.

 

 

How Does Atovaquone/Proguanil Work?

Atovaquone/Proguanil helps prevent malaria infection by stopping malaria parasites from multiplying within the body after a mosquito bite.

The medication contains two active ingredients that work in different ways:

• Atovaquone disrupts the parasite’s ability to produce energy, preventing it from surviving and multiplying.
• Proguanil interferes with the parasite’s ability to make DNA and reproduce.

By targeting the parasite through two different mechanisms, Atovaquone/Proguanil provides effective protection against the most common forms of malaria, including Plasmodium falciparum, the species responsible for the majority of severe malaria infections worldwide.

No antimalarial medication provides complete protection, so mosquito bite prevention measures should always be followed alongside treatment.

 

 

Who Can Use Atovaquone/Proguanil?

 

 

Atovaquone/Proguanil may be suitable for:

• Adults travelling to malaria-risk destinations
• Travellers requiring daily malaria prevention medication
• Last-minute travellers, due to the short pre-travel start period
• Business travellers, holidaymakers and backpackers visiting malaria-endemic regions

 

 

Who May Not Be Suitable?

 

 

This treatment may not be suitable if you:

• Are allergic to atovaquone, proguanil or any of the ingredients
• Have severe kidney impairment
• Are taking medicines that may interact with treatment
• Are pregnant or breastfeeding without appropriate medical assessment

Our prescribing clinicians will assess your suitability before treatment is supplied.

 

 

How to Take Atovaquone/Proguanil

 

 

Typical Dosing Schedule

• Start treatment 1–2 days before entering a malaria-risk area
• Take one tablet daily at the same time each day
• Continue throughout your stay in the malaria-risk area
• Continue treatment for 7 days after leaving the malaria-risk area
• Take with food or a milky drink whenever possible to improve absorption

Always take the medication exactly as directed by your prescriber.

 

 

Benefits of Atovaquone/Proguanil

• Effective malaria prevention for many destinations worldwide
• Short pre-travel start period of just 1–2 days
• Only 7 days of treatment required after travel
• Well-established antimalarial option
• Convenient once-daily dosing
• Generic equivalent to Malarone Adult
• Available following an online travel health consultation

 

 

Malaria Prevention Advice

Antimalarial medication should always be combined with mosquito bite avoidance measures, including:

• Using insect repellent containing DEET or other recommended ingredients
• Sleeping under mosquito nets where appropriate
• Wearing long-sleeved clothing during evenings and at night
• Staying in air-conditioned or screened accommodation where possible

Combining medication with bite prevention provides the best protection against malaria.

 

 

Possible Side Effects

Like all medicines, Atovaquone/Proguanil can cause side effects, although not everyone experiences them.

 

 

Common side effects may include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness

Most side effects are mild and temporary.

Always read the Patient Information Leaflet before taking treatment.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

Do I need malaria tablets for my destination?

Malaria risk varies depending on the country, region and type of travel. Our travel health team will assess your itinerary and advise whether malaria prevention is recommended.

 

 

When should I start taking Atovaquone/Proguanil?

Treatment should normally begin 1–2 days before entering a malaria-risk area.

 

 

How long do I continue taking treatment after travel?

You should continue taking Atovaquone/Proguanil for 7 days after leaving the malaria-risk area.

 

 

Can I stop taking tablets once I return home?

No. Completing the full course after travel is important to ensure maximum protection against malaria.

 

 

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember and continue your normal schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed dose.

 

 

Is Atovaquone/Proguanil suitable for long-term travel?

Yes. It may be suitable for longer trips depending on your destination and individual circumstances. Our prescribing clinicians will advise on the most appropriate option for your travel plans.

 

 

Do I need a GP prescription?

No. Atovaquone/Proguanil is a prescription-only medicine but it doesn’t require an GP prescription. At the Kingston pharmacy it can be supplied following assessment by one of our qualified clinicians.

 

 

Our Travel Health Service

Before treatment is supplied, you will complete a travel health consultation.

 

 

During your assessment we may ask about:

• Countries being visited
• Areas within those countries
• Length of travel
• Previous medical history
• Current medications
• Previous reactions to antimalarial medication

Our qualified clinicians will review your information and determine the most appropriate malaria prevention option.

Once approved, you can choose between convenient home delivery or in-store collection. 

We will provide instructions on the next steps after your consultation has been reviewed and approved.

 

 

Important Information

No antimalarial medication provides complete protection against malaria.

You should always follow mosquito bite prevention measures and seek urgent medical attention if you develop fever or flu-like symptoms during travel or after returning from a malaria-risk area.

Always read the Patient Information Leaflet before starting treatment.

Atovaquone/Proguanil Hydrochloride 250mg/100mg Tablets are supplied only after a travel health assessment and prescriber approval.