During the Pandemic of COVID-19, WHO (World Health Organisation) recommended Ivermectin to treat the Covid-19 Patients to be used within the clinical trials. This Ivermectin medication made its place in the medicine list of WHO guidelines during Covid-19.
It is used to treat the patients of Covid-19 with the disease severity. Ivermectin medication is the broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent to be used against several parasitic diseases. This medication is to be used to cure diseases like onchocerciasis (river blindness), strongyloidiasis, and many other diseases which are caused and transmitted via soil-transmitted helminthiasis. Scabies can also be treated with ivermectin medication.
There was a guideline development group that conveyed the awareness internationally for Ivermectin medications. Ivermectin is considered to be the potential medication to treat Covid-19 – WHO says.
The Usage of Ivermectin
This medication must be taken by mouth with a full glass of water (approx. 240ml) on an empty stomach with a minimum time of one hour before having the meal. The dose of this medication totally depends on the patient’s body weight, medical condition, and response to treatment.
The Side Effects of Ivermectin
Every medication has side effects and does the Ivermectin. The Side effects noticed due to this medication are as follows:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Diarrhoea
- Joint Pain
- Swollen Lymph Node
- Eye pain
- Weakness
- Fluctuation in vision
- Itching
- Rash
- Fever
This medication is only suggested when the patient has more benefits than the risk assumed to be affected. There are people who don’t face any side effects due to this medication.
Precautions
There are precautions that must be taken before the initialization of the treatment with Ivermectin medication. If the patient is allergic to any medication, it must be known before the ingestion and initialization of the medication.
This medication might make the person feel dizzy. Taking alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) worsen the situation. So it is advised to avoid alcohol or such. It is dangerous to drive, work on machinery, or indulge in any work which requires a high level of concentration. All this work includes high concentration and sometimes it might happen that due to high pressure on the activities of the brain can result in fainting.
Also, there are the possibilities where the patient needs to go under the treatment with this medication twice due to the lower immune system.
Overdose of Ivermectin Medication
If one notices overdose symptoms like pass out, problems in breathing, and so on, the patient needs to get the doctor’s attention immediately. The symptoms of overdose are numbness, tingling, breathing issues, coordination loss, and seizure.
This is to strictly follow that the medication must not be shared with others. Certain medical examinations must be taken where in to know the progress or the side effects if ever happened.
When you skip the dose, always take it as soon as possible. Note that if the timing is nearer to the timing of the next dose, skip the previous one and take the next one. Never ingest the multiple doses together to catch up with the dose and the timing.
Storage Guidelines
The medications are to be stored at room temperature away from the light and humidity.