Doxycycline

What is/are Doxycycline Tablets ?

DOXYCYCLINE is a tetracycline antibiotic. It kills certain bacteria or stops their growth. It is used to treat many kinds of infections, like dental, skin, respiratory, and urinary tract infections. It also treats acne, Lyme disease, malaria, and certain sexually transmitted infections. This medicine may be used for other purposes; ask your health care provider or pharmacist if you have questions.

What should I tell my health care providers before I take this medicine?

They need to know if you have any of these conditions:

liver disease long exposure to sunlight like working outdoors stomach problems like colitis an unusual or allergic reaction to doxycycline, tetracycline antibiotics, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives pregnant or trying to get pregnant breast-feeding

How should I use this medicine?

Take this medicine by mouth with a full glass of water. Follow the directions on the prescription label. It is best to take this medicine without food, but if it upsets your stomach take it with food. Take your medicine at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Take all of your medicine as directed even if you think you are better. Do not skip doses or stop your medicine early.

Talk to your pediatrician regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed. While this drug may be prescribed for children as young as 8 years old for selected conditions, precautions do apply.

Overdosage: If you think you have taken too much of this medicine contact a poison control center or emergency room at once.

Note: This medicine is only for you. Do not share this medicine with others.

What if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, take only that dose. Do not take double or extra doses.

What may interact with this medicine?

antacids barbiturates birth control pills bismuth subsalicylate carbamazepine methoxyflurane other antibiotics phenytoin vitamins that contain iron warfarin

This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care providers a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.

What side effects may I notice from this medicine?

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible:

allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue difficulty breathing fever itching in the rectal or genital area pain on swallowing redness, blistering, peeling or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth severe stomach pain or cramps unusual bleeding or bruising unusually weak or tired yellowing of the eyes or skin

Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your doctor or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):

diarrhea loss of appetite nausea, vomiting

This list may not describe all possible side effects.

What should I watch for while using this medicine?

Tell your doctor or health care professional if your symptoms do not improve.

Do not treat diarrhea with over the counter products. Contact your doctor if you have diarrhea that lasts more than 2 days or if it is severe and watery.

Do not take this medicine just before going to bed. It may not dissolve properly when you lay down and can cause pain in your throat. Drink plenty of fluids while taking this medicine to also help reduce irritation in your throat.

This medicine can make you more sensitive to the sun. Keep out of the sun. If you cannot avoid being in the sun, wear protective clothing and use sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps or tanning beds/booths.

Birth control pills may not work properly while you are taking this medicine. Talk to your doctor about using an extra method of birth control.

If you are being treated for a sexually transmitted infection, avoid sexual contact until you have finished your treatment. Your sexual partner may also need treatment.

Avoid antacids, aluminum, calcium, magnesium, and iron products for 4 hours before and 2 hours after taking a dose of this medicine.

If you are using this medicine to prevent malaria, you should still protect yourself from contact with mosquitos. Stay in screened-in areas, use mosquito nets, keep your body covered, and use an insect repellent.

Where should I keep this medicine?

Keep out of the reach of children.

Store at room temperature, below 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). Protect from light. Keep container tightly closed. Throw away any unused medicine after the expiration date. Taking this medicine after the expiration date can make you seriously ill.

Adverse effects

Cautions and side effects are similar to those of other members of the tetracycline antibiotic group.

An erythematous rash in sun-exposed parts of the body has been reported to occur in 7.3–21.2% of persons taking doxycycline for malaria prophylaxis. One study examined the tolerability of various malaria prophylactic regimens and found doxycycline did not cause a significantly higher percentage of all skin events (photosensitivity not specified) when compared with other antimalarials. The rash resolves upon discontinuation of the drug.

Unlike some other members of the tetracycline group, it may be used in those with renal impairment.

Interactions

The combination of doxycycline with dairy, antacids, calcium supplements, iron products, and laxatives containing magnesium is not inherently dangerous, but any of these foods and supplements may decrease doxycycline's effectiveness.

Previously, doxycycline was believed to impair the effectiveness of many types of hormonal contraception due to CYP450 induction. Recent research has shown no significant loss of effectiveness in oral contraceptives while using most tetracycline antibiotics (including doxycycline), although many physicians still recommend the use of barrier contraception for people taking the drug to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Pharmacokinetics

Doxycycline–metal ion complexes are unstable at acid pH, therefore more doxycycline enters the duodenum for absorption compared with the earlier compounds. In addition, food has less effect on absorption than on absorption of earlier drugs with doxycycline serum concentrations being reduced by ∼20% by test meals compared with 50% for tetracycline.

Physical and chemical properties

Expired tetracyclines or tetracyclines allowed to stand at a pH less than 2 are reported to be nephrotoxic due to the formation of a degradation product, anhydro-4-epitetracycline causing Fanconi syndrome. In the case of doxycycline, the absence of a hydroxyl group in C-6 prevents the formation of the nephrotoxic compound. Nevertheless, tetracyclines and doxycycline itself have to be taken with precaution in patients with kidney injury, as they can worsen azotemia due to catabolic effects.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article Doxycycline, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.