Chloroquine is used for treatment of?

IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance -2021

Pharmacology

Easy

Appeared in: IGNOU Post B. SC. Nursing entrance -2021

Explanation

Chloroquine is a first-line drug for the treatment and prophylaxis of malaria caused by sensitive Plasmodium species.
It acts as a blood schizonticide, meaning it targets the parasite during its erythrocytic (red blood cell) stage, rapidly clearing parasitemia and alleviating clinical symptoms.
It is effective against P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and chloroquine-sensitive strains of P. falciparum.
While resistance in P. falciparum is widespread, it remains a key drug in regions where the parasite is still sensitive.

Option A: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar. Its treatment involves lifestyle changes, oral hypoglycemic agents (like metformin), or insulin.
Option C: Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Treatment requires diphtheria antitoxin to neutralize the toxin and antibiotics (like penicillin or erythromycin) to kill the bacteria.
Option D: Tetanus is a bacterial infection caused by Clostridium tetani, leading to muscle spasms. Treatment includes Tetanus Immunoglobulin (TIG), wound care, antibiotics, and muscle relaxants.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Pharmacology: Antimalarial Drugs helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
A key nursing responsibility is patient education. When administering Chloroquine, especially for long-term use (e.g., for autoimmune diseases), nurses must educate patients on the critical need for regular eye exams to detect early signs of retinal damage.
Nurses should advise patients to take Chloroquine with food to reduce common gastrointestinal side effects like nausea and vomiting, which improves medication adherence.
What if? If a patient develops visual disturbances (like blurred vision or difficulty focusing) while on long-term Chloroquine therapy, the nurse's priority is to instruct the patient to stop the medication and report to the prescribing physician immediately for an ophthalmologic evaluation.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is asking for the primary therapeutic use of a specific drug: Chloroquine.
This is a factual recall question from pharmacology. Access your knowledge base about major drug classes.
Recall or deduce that Chloroquine is a well-known antiprotozoal agent.
Specifically, link Chloroquine to its most famous indication, which is the treatment and prevention of malaria.
Evaluate the given options. 'Malaria' is listed. The other options (Diabetes, Diphtheria, Tetanus) are treated with entirely different classes of drugs (hypoglycemics, antitoxins/antibiotics), making them incorrect.

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