Sulfadoxine/Pyrimethamine, Oral

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antimalarial

Generic and brand names: sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine, oral; Fansidar

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a combination of 2 drugs taken by mouth to prevent or treat malaria. It may be used alone or with other medicines.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Before you take this medicine, tell your healthcare provider if you have:

• an allergy to any medicine
• asthma or severe allergies
• blood problems such as anemia or G6PD deficiency
• liver damage
• severe kidney problems.

Females of childbearing age: Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant because it may harm the baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or if you plan to become pregnant while taking this medicine. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I take it?

Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare provider prescribes. If you take this medicine to prevent malaria while traveling, take the first dose 1 or 2 days before you leave. Keep taking it during your stay and for 4 to 6 weeks after you return. Do not take more than your healthcare provider prescribes.

When taking this medicine for an acute attack of malaria, take the exact number of tablets prescribed. Acute attacks are usually treated with a single dose. Ask your healthcare provider or your pharmacist to explain anything you do not understand.

You may take this medicine with or without food. Taking it with meals may lessen the chance the drug will upset your stomach.

Take the tablets with plenty of water and drink lots of liquid between doses to keep this medicine from forming crystals in your urine, which can cause severe discomfort when you urinate.

Take any other medicines as prescribed.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and take the next one as directed. Do not take double doses. If you are not sure of what to do if you miss a dose, or if you miss more than one dose, contact your healthcare provider.

What should I watch out for?

Rarely, this medicine has caused life-threatening side effects. Contact your healthcare provider at the first sign of a skin rash or an infection, including a fungal infection.

You may need to have blood tests regularly to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments for these tests.

If you need emergency care, surgery, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

This medicine may make your skin more sensitive to the sun, which may lead to painful sunburns. While you are taking this medicine, avoid long exposure to the sun. Wear protective clothing, a hat, and sunscreen lotion when you need to be outdoors. Do not use a sunlamp. If you get a severe sunburn, contact your healthcare provider right away.

Diabetics: This medicine may affect your blood sugar level and change the amount of insulin or other diabetes medicine you may need. Talk to your healthcare provider about this.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (report these to your healthcare provider right away): Rash, hives, sore throat or tongue, cough, fever, muscle pain, shortness of breath, pale skin, yellowing of eyes or skin, fungal infections, extreme tiredness, unusual bleeding or bruising, seizures, painful urination.

Other: Headache, depression, nervousness, ringing in your ears, dizziness, trouble sleeping, stomach pain, diarrhea.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• antiseizure medicines such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), and phenobarbital
• methotrexate (Folex, Rheumatrex)
• sulfa drugs such as sulfadiazine, sulfamethoxazole (Gantanol), sulfisoxazole (Gantrisin), and sulfamethizole (Thiosulfil Forte)
• sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMZ/TMP, Bactrim, Septra) and trimethoprim (Proloprim)
• warfarin (Coumadin)
• zidovudine (Retrovir).

Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, nonprescription, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins) with you. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

How should I store this medicine?

Store this medicine at room temperature. Keep the container tightly closed. Protect it from heat, high humidity, and bright light.

This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Ask your pharmacist for the best way to dispose of outdated medicine or medicine you have not used. Do not throw medicine in the trash.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.