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Coartem Side Effects
Some of the possible side effects of Coartem include headaches, nausea, and vomiting. In most cases, people can take this medication without any problems. If reactions do occur, they tend to be minor and easily treated. However, notify your healthcare provider right away if you develop serious side effects, such as fainting, heart palpitations, or difficulty breathing.
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Just like any medicine, Coartem® (artemether/lumefantrine) can cause side effects. However, not everyone who takes the medication will have problems. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are treated easily by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Coartem. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list with you.)
Coartem has been studied extensively in clinical trials. In some of these studies, one group of people received Coartem, while another group was given a different antimalarial medicine. In other studies, everyone received Coartem. People in these studies reported all of their symptoms. Any symptom that occurred or got worse after Coartem was given was considered a side effect.
In these clinical studies, the most common side effects of Coartem in adults included but were not limited to:
- Headaches -- in up to 56 percent of adults
- Loss of appetite -- up to 40 percent
- Dizziness or a spinning sensation (vertigo) -- up to 39 percent
- Weakness or loss of energy or strength -- up to 38 percent
- Muscle or joint pain -- up to 34 percent
- Nausea -- up to 26 percent
- Fever -- up to 25 percent
- Chills -- up to 23 percent
- Sleeping problems -- up to 22 percent
- Vomiting -- up to 17 percent
- Extreme tiredness -- up to 17 percent
- Abdominal (stomach) pain -- up to 17 percent
- An enlarged liver or spleen -- up to 9 percent
- Diarrhea -- up to 7 percent
- Coughing -- up to 6 percent
- Itching -- up to 4 percent
- A rash -- up to 3 percent
- General feelings of discomfort (malaise) -- up to 3 percent
- Upper respiratory tract infections (such as the common cold) -- up to 3 percent.
The most common Coartem side effects in children included but were not limited to:
- Fever -- in up to 29 percent of children
- Coughing -- up to 23 percent
- Vomiting -- up to 18 percent
- Headaches -- up to 13 percent
- Loss of appetite -- up to 13 percent
- An enlarged liver or spleen -- up to 9 percent
- Abdominal (stomach) pain -- up to 8 percent
- Diarrhea -- up to 8 percent
- Chills -- up to 5 percent
- Nausea -- up to 5 percent
- Weakness or loss of energy or strength -- up to 5 percent
- Dizziness -- up to 4 percent
- Stuffy nose -- up to 4 percent
- Extreme tiredness -- up to 3 percent
- Muscle or joint pain -- up to 3 percent
- A rash -- up to 3 percent.
Written by/reviewed by: Susan Lakey, PharmD, MPH
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD