Clinical criteria for severe malaria: Acute respiratory distress syndrome / pulmonary edema Bleeding Coma or impaired consciousness Jaundice Seizures (recurrent) Shock Laboratory criteria for severe malaria: Anemia (severe: < 7 g / dL [70 g / L]) Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) Hemoglobinuria Metabolic acidosis Parasite density > 5% Renal failure Treatment of Malaria Antimalarial drugs Antimalarial drugs are chosen based on the following: Disease severity (clinical and laboratory criteria) Infecting Plasmodium species Known resistance patterns of strains in the area of acquisition Efficacy and adverse effects of drugs available Artemisinin-based combination therapy, such as oral artemether / lumefantrine, is the most rapidly active treatment, and in many situations, it is the treatment of choice.