Which drug is the recommended intravenous therapy for severe malaria?

Which drug is the recommended intravenous therapy for severe malaria?

• A. IV Artesunate
• B. Oral Chloroquine
• C. Quinidine IV
• D. Doxycycline

Answer: (A)

Severe malaria requires rapid parasite clearance and immediate stabilization, so the IV therapy chosen is IV artesunate. Artesunate acts quickly against the parasite and has a superior safety and efficacy profile compared with older options, leading to lower mortality in severe falciparum malaria. When artesunate is available, it’s the preferred first-line IV treatment because it achieves rapid parasite reduction with fewer serious side effects. Oral chloroquine isn’t suitable for severe malaria due to the need for fast, parenteral control of the infection and widespread resistance to chloroquine in Plasmodium falciparum. Quinidine IV can be used if artesunate isn’t available, but it carries more toxicity risk (such as cardiotoxicity and hypoglycemia) and requires intensive monitoring, so it isn’t the preferred choice when artesunate is accessible. Doxycycline isn’t used as the initial IV therapy for severe malaria; it may be used as an adjunct in select regimens or for prophylaxis, but it doesn’t provide the rapid, reliable control needed in severe disease.

Severe malaria requires rapid parasite clearance and immediate stabilization, so the IV therapy chosen is IV artesunate. Artesunate acts quickly against the parasite and has a superior safety and efficacy profile compared with older options, leading to lower mortality in severe falciparum malaria. When artesunate is available, it’s the preferred first-line IV treatment because it achieves rapid parasite reduction with fewer serious side effects. Oral chloroquine isn’t suitable for severe malaria due to the need for fast, parenteral control of the infection and widespread resistance to chloroquine in Plasmodium falciparum. Quinidine IV can be used if artesunate isn’t available, but it carries more toxicity risk (such as cardiotoxicity and hypoglycemia) and requires intensive monitoring, so it isn’t the preferred choice when artesunate is accessible. Doxycycline isn’t used as the initial IV therapy for severe malaria; it may be used as an adjunct in select regimens or for prophylaxis, but it doesn’t provide the rapid, reliable control needed in severe disease.