Managing Complications in Pregnancy and Childbirth: - IAWG

S-58 Headache, blurred vision, convulsions or loss of consciousness, elevated blood pressureINTRAVENOUS ARTESUNATELOADING DOSE• Give artesunate 2.4 mg/kg body weight IV as a single bolus on thefirst day of treatment.MAINTENANCE DOSE• Give artesunate 1.2 mg/kg body weight IV as a single bolus oncedaily beginning on the second day of treatment.• Continue the maintenance dosing schedule until the woman isconscious and able to swallow and then give artesunate 2 mg/kgbody weight by mouth once daily to complete 7 days of treatment.INTRAMUSCULAR ARTEMETHERLOADING DOSE• Give artemether 3.2 mg/kg body weight IM as a single dose on thefirst day of treatment.MAINTENANCE DOSE• Give artemether 1.6 mg/kg body weight IM once daily beginning onthe second day of treatment.• Continue the maintenance dosing schedule until the woman isconscious and able to swallow and then give artesunate 2 mg/kgbody weight by mouth once daily to complete 7 days of treatment.CONVULSIONS• If convulsions occur, give diazepam 10 mg IV slowly over 2minutes.• If eclampsia is diagnosed, prevent subsequent convulsions withmagnesium sulfate (Box S-3, page S-45).• If eclampsia is excluded, prevent subsequent convulsions withphenytoin (below).PHENYTOINLOADING DOSE• Infuse phenytoin 1 g (approximately 18 mg/kg body weight) in50–100 mL normal saline over 30 minutes (final concentration not toexceed 10 mg per mL):Note: Only normal saline can be used to infuse phenytoin. Allother IV fluids will cause crystallization of phenytoin.