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Iodoquinol  (Oral)

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Brand Names

In the U.S.—

  • Diquinol
  • Yodoquinol
  • Yodoxin

In Canada—

  • Diodoquin

Other commonly used names are diiodohydroxyquin; diiodohydroxyquinoline.

Category


Description

Iodoquinol ( eye-oh-doe-KWIN-ole) belongs to the group of medicines called antiprotozoals. These medicines are used to treat infections caused by protozoa (tiny, one-celled animals). Iodoquinol is used most often in the treatment of an intestinal infection called amebiasis. However, it may be used to treat other types of infection as determined by your doctor.

Iodoquinol is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:



Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For iodoquinol, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to iodoquinol, chloroxine (e.g., Capitrol), clioquinol (e.g., Vioform), iodine, pamaquine, pentaquine, or primaquine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Iodoquinol has not been reported to cause birth defects or other problems in humans.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether iodoquinol passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children—Children may be more likely to develop certain side effects, especially if given high doses for a long time.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of iodoquinol in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other medical problems—The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of iodoquinol. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:


Proper Use of This Medicine

Take this medicine after meals to lessen possible stomach upset, unless otherwise directed by your doctor.

If the tablets are too large to swallow whole, they may be crushed and mixed with a small amount of applesauce or chocolate syrup.

To help clear up your infection completely, keep taking this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. Do not miss any doses.

Dosing—

The dose of iodoquinol will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of iodoquinol. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of tablets that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.

Missed dose—

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage—

To store this medicine:


Precautions While Using This Medicine

This medicine may cause blurred vision or loss of vision. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not able to see well . If these reactions are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.

If you must have thyroid function tests, make sure the doctor knows that you are taking this medicine or have taken it within the past 6 months.


Side Effects of This Medicine

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.


Additional Information

Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Although these uses are not included in product labeling, iodoquinol is used in certain patients with the following parasite infections:

For patients taking this medicine for extraintestinal or invasive amebiasis infection:

Other than the above information, there is no additional information relating to proper use, precautions, or side effects for these uses.


Revised: 03/25/1996

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