What is the drug Plaquenil used for?

What is Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil®)? Hydroxychloroquine is used in the treatment of arthritis to help relieve inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint pain and also to help control the symptoms of lupus erythematosus (lupus; SLE). A common brand name for hydroxychloroquine is Plaquenil®.

What is methotrexate used for?

Methotrexate is a type of medicine called an immunosuppressant. It slows down your body’s immune system and helps reduce inflammation. It is used to treat inflammatory conditions, including: rheumatoid arthritis.

Why do dermatologists prescribe hydroxychloroquine?

Hydroxychloroquine is one of the most frequently used drugs in dermatology with a wide variety of uses due to its immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, photoprotective, and metabolic actions and low side effect profile.

What should I avoid while taking hydroxychloroquine?

This medicine may cause blurred vision and may impair your reactions. Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how this medicine will affect you. Avoid taking an antacid or Kaopectate (kaolin-pectin) within 4 hours before or 4 hours after you take hydroxychloroquine.

Is Plaquenil a high risk medication?

Using Plaquenil for a long period of time may harm the retina, causing serious vision loss. People with retinal damage from Plaquenil are not aware at first that they are losing vision.

What diseases does methotrexate treat?

Methotrexate is used to treat certain types of cancer or to control severe psoriasis or rheumatoid arthritis that has not responded to other treatments. It may also be used to control juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Methotrexate belongs to a class of drugs known as antimetabolites.

What diseases does hydroxychloroquine treat?

Hydroxychloroquine is used to treat discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus). It is also used to treat acute and chronic rheumatoid arthritis. This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.

Can I buy hydroxychloroquine?

Hydroxychloroquine is available in the United States by prescription only. Avoid websites claiming to sell prescription medications to American consumers without a prescription. That’s illegal and a sign the pharmacy is illegitimate.

Is hydroxychloroquine an antibiotic?

Hydroxychloroquine is commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, while azithromycin is a frequently-prescribed antibiotic to treat infections such as pneumonia, chest and sinus infections, etc.