Quinidine

What is quinidine?

Quinidine is used to fix an irregular heartbeat. It may also be used to treat malaria.

How should you give your child quinidine?

Follow these instructions when giving your child quinidine:

• Give this medicine regularly, exactly as your doctor or pharmacist tells you. Avoid missing doses by giving your child the medicine at the same times each day.
• Make sure you have enough medicine to last through weekends, holidays, or vacations.
• Talk to your child's doctor before you stop giving this medicine for any reason.
• Give this medicine with or without food. If the medicine upsets your child's stomach, give the medicine with food or milk.
• Do not let your child chew the long-acting tablets. Do not crush the long-acting tablets.
• Measure the dose with the special spoon or syringe the pharmacist gave you, if your child is taking liquid quinidine.

What should you do if your child misses a dose of quinidine?

If your child misses a dose of quinidine:

• If you remember within two hours of the time the dose was due, then give the missed dose.
• If it is more than two hours after the dose time, skip the missed dose. Give the next dose at the regular time.
• Give your child only one dose at a time.

What are the possible side effects of quinidine?

Your child may have some side effects while they take quinidine. Usually your child will not need to see a doctor about them. These side effects may go away as your child's body gets used to quinidine.

Check with your child's doctor if your child has any of these signs or symptoms and they do not go away or they bother your child:

• watery bowel movements (diarrhea)
• headache
• upset stomach or throwing up
• loss of appetite
• stomach pain or cramping
• bitter taste in the mouth
• flushing of the skin with itching

Most of the following side effects are not common, but they may be a sign of a serious problem. Call your child's doctor right away or take your child to the Emergency Department if your child has any of these side effects:

• dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
• shortness of breath
• faster or uneven heart beats
• chest pain
• swelling of the feet or lower legs
• skin rash
• unexplained fever or chills
• ringing in the ears
• problems seeing or blurred vision
• severe headache
• unusual bleeding or bruising

What other important information should you know about quinidine?

• Check with your child's doctor or pharmacist before giving your child any other medicines (prescription, non-prescription, herbal, or natural products).
• Before your child has any kind of operation, even on teeth or an emergency treatment, tell the doctor or dentist that your child is taking quinidine.
• Keep all appointments at the clinic or doctor's office so that the doctor can check your child's response to quinidine.
• Keep liquid quinidine in the refrigerator.
• Make sure you always have enough quinidine to last through weekends, holidays, and vacations. Call your pharmacy at least 2 days before your child runs out of medicine to order refills.
• Do not keep any medicines that are out of date. Check with your pharmacist about the best way to throw away outdated or leftover medicines.
  

Keep quinidine out of your child’s sight and reach and locked up in a safe place. If your child takes too much quinidine, call your local Poison Information Centre at one of these numbers. These calls are free. 

• Call 1-844 POISON-X, or 1-844-764-7669, from anywhere in Canada except Quebec.
• Call 1-800-463-5060 if you live in Quebec.