Pyrantel Description

Generic Name : PYRANTEL

Pronunciation : (pi ran' tel)

Trade Name(s) : Antiminth, Expent, Nemocid, PA-PA, Pymolar ,Pyrmoate, Thelmex

Why it is prescribed: Pyrantel is used to treat worm infections.

When it is to be taken: Pyrantel is usually taken as a single dose for pinworm and roundworm infections. The dose is repeated after two weeks for pinworm infections. For hookworm infections, pyrantel usually is taken once a day for three consecutive days. It may be taken at any time of day, without regard to food intake. Follow the instructions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor to explain any part that you do not understand.

How it should be taken: Pyrantel comes in oral liquid form. Your prescription label tells you how much to take. Shake the liquid bottle well to mix the medication evenly. Pyrantel may be mixed with milk or fruit juice.

Special Instruction : If symptoms persist, contact your doctor. You may need to take another dose. To get rid of pinworms, every person in your household must receive a dose of pyrantel. If one person is infected, the worm's eggs are easily transmitted by bedding, clothing, food, toys, undergarments, and even air to other family members and contacts. If itching in the anal area is severe, ask your doctor to recommend a cream or ointment to relieve it.
In addition to treatment with pyrantel, follow these steps to get rid of pinworms:
1. Keep your fingernails trimmed short.
2. Scrub your hands and nails often, especially after using the toilet and before eating
3. Take a shower bath every day.
4. Wear snug-fitting undergarments and change them daily.
5. Launder all night clothes and bed linens in hot water daily.
6. Air your bedroom daily.
7. Scrub bathroom floors and the toilet seat with a disinfectant solution.
8. Vaccum all floors and upholstered furniture every day to remove pinworm eggs.
In addition to treatment with pyrantel, follow these steps to get rid of hookworms and roundworms:
1. Avoid placing fingers or hands in the mouth, especially when playing or working out-of-doors in the dirt. To prevent reinfection with hookworms, wear shoes when out-of-doors.
2. Scrub your hands and nails often, especially after using the toilet and before eating.
3. To prevent reinfection with roundworms, wash all vegetables before eating.

Side Effects : Although side effects from pyrantel are not common, they can occur. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, stomach pain, straining and pain during bowel movements. If these effects are severe or persist, contact your doctor.

Other Precautions : Before you take pyrantel, tell your doctor if you are pregnant, if you have liver disease or anemia, if you ever had a bad reaction to pyrantel, or if you are taking piperazine or another anthelmintic.

Storage Conditions : Keep this medication in the container it came in and out of the reach of children. Store it at room temperature.