What Is Ciprofloxacin?

Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic first approved for use in 1987. It is used to treat skin, joint, bone and respiratory infections, and it may be recommended for individuals exposed to anthrax. The medication is available as a tablet and oral solution, and it can also be given as an injection. Patients who take ciprofloxacin may experience side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Some individuals could develop tendon issues while taking this medication. Patients should let their doctor know about all of the side effects they develop during treatment with ciprofloxacin, and they should also inform them of all of the medications they take.

The uses, side effects, precautions, and potential medication interactions associated with ciprofloxacin are outlined below.

How It Works

This medication belongs to a group of antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones. Levofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and moxifloxacin are some examples of antibiotics in this group. Fluoroquinolones destroy bacteria by interfering with replication and repair and by blocking certain enzymes. Medicines in this class are considered broad-spectrum antibiotics, and ciprofloxacin is particularly useful in the treatment of infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Legionella pneumophila, Proteus mirabilis, and Haemophilus influenzae. Ciprofloxacin is considered less effective for the treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections than newer antibiotics, and there are growing concerns about rising antibiotic resistance to ciprofloxacin as well.

Get more information on the uses and benefits related to ciprofloxacin now.

Ciprofloxacin Uses and Benefits

Ciprofloxacin is used to treat bacterial infections in many areas of the body. For example, physicians may prescribe it to treat abdominal infections, including diverticulitis and gastroenteritis, and the medication is beneficial in the treatment of sinus infections, pneumonia, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, and cellulitis. Ciprofloxacin is approved for the treatment of gonorrhea, and it may be recommended for individuals exposed to anthrax, typhoid fever, or certain types of plague. Some doctors prescribe this medicine 'off-label' for the treatment of chlamydia, blood infections, tooth infections, traveler's diarrhea, and cystic fibrosis. On rare occasions, it might be considered for the treatment of strep throat or sore throat.

Read about the potential side effects linked to ciprofloxacin next.

Potential Side Effects

Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, and skin rash are some of the most common side effects associated with ciprofloxacin. Some patients could experience an upset stomach during treatment with this medicine, and liver function tests may be higher than usual as well. Most of these side effects resolve on their own within two weeks. Less commonly, individuals might experience more serious side effects. For example, patients have reported tendon swelling or rupture, and this side effect could cause intense pain in areas such as the heel, ankle, knee, elbow, or shoulder. Surgery may be necessary to fix a ruptured tendon, and the damage may not always be reversible. Liver damage is another potentially serious side effect associated with ciprofloxacin, and patients should monitor themselves for stomach pain, loss of appetite, jaundice or dark urine.

If these symptoms develop, individuals should have an urgent medical evaluation. Seizures, tremors, and nerve pain have occurred in patients using ciprofloxacin, and the medicine can increase a patient's sensitivity to the sun, possibly resulting in severe sunburn. Geriatric patients and individuals with diabetes are at an increased risk of experiencing episodes of low blood sugar while taking this medication. Suicidal thoughts, anxiety, depression, and hallucinations have occurred in ciprofloxacin users, and patients should have their mental and physical health closely monitored by their doctor during treatment.

Uncover the precautions patients should remember in regards to taking ciprofloxacin next.

Precautions To Remember

Before prescribing ciprofloxacin, doctors will need to ensure the medication is safe for the patient's overall health. Patients should let their physician know about any history of epilepsy, seizures, brain tumors, or myasthenia gravis. The doctor will also need to know if the patient has tendon problems, arthritis, heart problems, diabetes, kidney disease, long QT syndrome, or low potassium. Patients should not use this medication while breastfeeding, and they should inform their doctor immediately if they become pregnant at any point during treatment. Ciprofloxacin should not be taken by individuals who are allergic to ofloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, or other types of fluoroquinolones. Patients who have had an organ transplant should let their doctor know since there is an increased risk of tendon rupture in this patient population.

Ciprofloxacin needs to be taken at the same time each day, and patients can take it with or without food. When using the oral suspension form of this medication, it is important to shake the suspension for at least fifteen seconds before measuring the dose. The provided dosing device must be used for measuring; a kitchen spoon is not accurate. Patients who use the extended-release tablets need to swallow each tablet whole. The tablets should never be broken or crushed. Although patients do not need to make any dietary changes during ciprofloxacin treatment, they should not take this drug with dairy products or calcium-fortified juice. Doing so could make ciprofloxacin less effective. This medication may increase the effect of caffeine, and patients might wish to monitor or reduce their caffeine consumption during treatment. Individuals who notice bloody or watery diarrhea while using ciprofloxacin should ask their physician before taking any type of anti-diarrhea medicine.

Discover the potential medication interactions with ciprofloxacin next.

Potential Medication Interactions

Ciprofloxacin can interact with antacids that contain calcium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide, and magnesium hydroxide. The ingredients in these antacids may prevent the body from absorbing ciprofloxacin, and this could make it less effective. Patients who take antacids and ciprofloxacin should take the ciprofloxacin at least two hours before the antacid. Alternatively, patients may choose to take ciprofloxacin six hours after taking an antacid. Individuals who use anticoagulants are at an elevated risk of bleeding during treatment with ciprofloxacin, and they may require close monitoring by their doctor. Due to the risk of an irregular heartbeat, patients who take quinidine, amiodarone, sotalol, or macrolide antibiotics may be advised not to take ciprofloxacin. This antibiotic should not be taken with tizanidine. To prevent potential medication interactions, patients should ask their doctor to check their complete medication list for possible issues before prescribing this drug.