A student nurse is preparing a drug study on several anti-malarial drugs. If a patient has systemic lupus erythematosus, which of the following antimalarial drugs may be ordered to relieve photosensitivity, rashes, joint pain and inflammation, hair loss, and malaise?
Explanation
Answer: C - Hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) is an antimalarial drug that may be given to patients with SLE to relieve photosensitivity, rashes, arthritis, arthralgia, hair loss, and malaise. It would take 8-12 weeks of Plaquenil use before therapeutic effects were seen. Long term use of Plaquenil could result in blurred vision. Chloroquine is a drug of choice for malaria, but hydroxychloroquine is preferable because of its safety.
