Which antimalarial drug is known to cause neuropsy-chiatric adverse reaction?
High-Yield Explanation
Adverse effects :Mefloquine is bitter in taste; common reaction is dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and sinus bradycardia. These are usually mild and largely dose related, but may be severe in some. Major concern has been a variety of neuropsychiatric reactions (disturbed sense of balance, ataxia, errors in operating machinery, strange dreams, anxiety, hallucinations, rarely convulsions) occurring in some recipients. These are dose related and subside in 1-3 weeks. Rare events are haematological, hepatic and cutaneous toxicity. Mefloquine appears to be safe during pregnancy, but should be avoided in 1st trimester unless absolutely essential. ESSENTIALS OF PHARMACOLOGY page no.824