Minocycline Medical Information

• Minocycline uses
• Minocycline dosage
• Minocycline side effects
• Warnings & precautions
• Drug interactions
• Missed dose
• Overdose

Common Brand Names: Dynacin, Minocin, Vectrin

Generic Name: Minocycline

The following product information is not intended to replace the physician's or manufacturer's instructions.

See also:

• Minocycline
• Buy Minocycline no prescritpion

Common Medical Uses:
Minocycline is in a class of medications called tetracycline antibiotics. It works by preventing the growth and spread of bacteria.

This medication is used to treat the following bacterial infections: Rocky Mountain spotted fever; typhus fever; respiratory tract infections; skin and skin structure infections; severe acne; lymphogranuloma venereum; trachoma; chancroid; brucellosis and other.

Minocycline dosage:

• The usual dosage of Minocycline hydrochloride is 200 mg initially followed by 100 mg every 12 hours. Alternatively, if more frequent doses are preferred, two or four 50 mg capsules may be given initially followed by one 50 mg capsule 4 times daily.
• Uncomplicated gonococcal infections other than urethritis and anorectal infections in men: 200 mg initially, followed by 100 mg every 12 hours for a minimum of 4 days, with post-therapy cultures within 2 to 3 days.
• In the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in men, 100 mg every 12 hours for 5 days is recommended.

Minocycline Possible Side Effects:
Although side effects from Minocycline are not common, they can occur.
Most common side effects associated with minocycline treatment include:

• nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
• loss of appetite
• increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
• dizziness
• swollen tongue
• vaginal yeast infection
• pigmentation (darker color or discoloration) of skin and mucous membranes

Hepatotoxicity has been reported with Minocycline; therefore, Minocycline should be used with caution in patients with hepatic dysfunction and in conjunction with other hepatotoxic drugs.

Minocycline has been reported to cause rare life-threatening events, such as hypersensitivity syndrome reaction, serum sicknesslike reaction and drug-induced lupus erythematosus.

Hypersensitivity syndrome consisting of cutaneous reaction (such as rash or exfoliative dermatitis), eosinophilia, and one or more of the following: hepatitis, pneumonitis, nephritis, myocarditis, and pericarditis. Fever and lymphadenopathy may be present.

Lupus-like syndrome consisting of positive antinuclear antibody; arthralgia, arthritis, joint stiffness, or joint swelling; and one or more of the following: fever, myalgia, hepatitis, rash, and vasculitis.

Serum sickness-like syndrome consisting of fever; urticaria or rash; and arthralgia, arthritis, joint stiffness, or joint swelling. Eosinophilia may be present.

Minocycline Warnings & Precautions:

• Don't take if: you have ever had an allergic to any tetracycline antibiotic.
• Before taking Minocycline, tell your doctor or/and pharmacist:
• if you have kidney or liver disease
• if you have lupus
• if you have myasthenia gravis
• if you have diabete
• Skin & sunlight: May cause rash or intensify sunburn in areas exposed to sun or ultraviolet light. Avoid overexposure. Notify doctor if reaction occurs.
• Driving, piloting or hazardous work: Central nervous system side effects including light-headedness, dizziness, or vertigo have been reported with Minocycline therapy. Patients who experience these symptoms should be cautioned about driving vehicles or using hazardous machinery while on Minocycline therapy. These symptoms may disappear during therapy and usually disappear rapidly when the drug is discontinued.
• Pregnancy: Risk category D. Minocycline, like other tetracycline-class antibiotics, crosses the placenta and may cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman.
• Breast feeding: Drug passesinto milk. Avoid drug or discontinue nursing until you finish medication. Consult doctor for advice on maintaining milk supply.
• Discontinuing: Don't discontinue without consulting doctor until you complete prescribed dose, even though symptoms diminish or disappear.
• Avoid using outdated drug. It can make you seriously ill.
• Birth control pills may not be effective. Use additional birth control method.

Drug Interactions:
Tell your health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products.
The following drugs may interact with Minocycline:

• Antacids (decreased Minocycline effect)
• Anticoagulants, oral (increased anticoagulant effect)
• Antivirals (decreased antibiotic effect)
• Bismuth subsalicylate (decreased Minocycline absorption)
• Calcium supplements (decreased Minocycline effect)
• Cefixime (decreased antibiotic effect of cefixime)
• Cholestyramine or colestipol (decreased Minocycline effect)
• Contraceptives, oral (decreased contraceptive effect)
• Desmopressin (possible decreased desmopressin effect)
• Digitalis preparations (increased digitalis effect)
• Etretinate (increased chance of adverse reactions of etretinate)
• Lithium (increased lithium effect)
• Methoxyflurane (can result in fatal renal toxicity)
• Mineral supplements (iron, calcium, magnesiun, zinc) (decreased Minocycline absorption, separate doses by 1 to 2 hours)
• Penicillins (decreased penicillin effect)
• Sodium bicarbonate (greatly reduced Minocycline absorption)
• Vitamin A (increased risk of intracranial hypertension)

Missed Dose:
Take as soon as you remember. Don't double the dose.

Overdose:
The adverse events more commonly seen in overdose are dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. No specific antidote for Minocycline is known. In case of overdosage, discontinue medication, treat symptomatically and institute supportive measures. Minocycline is not removed in significant quantities by hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.