METRONIDAZOLE

Main indication,

- Diarrhea (including giardia, amoibia...)

- Intra abdominal sepsis; including PID & peritonitis

- Yellow or green vaginal discharge

- metronidazole is sometimes prescribe for infectious diseases when all other antibiotics seems to be useless (lymph nodes, skin; brain... and lungs! Choice between chloramphenicol and metronidazole...or both...

Dose

- 400mg x 3

- Maximum of 4 grams daily.

- Metronidazole may be taken with meals or a snack to lessen gastrointestinal irritation.

- dosage may need to be reduced with severe hepatic function impairmen

- Anuric & reduced renal functionpatients do not require a reduction in dose.

Attention!!!

- Patients with candidiasis may present with more prominent symptoms during metronidazole therapy, requiring treatment with a candidacidal agent.

Possible side/adverse effect

- gastrointestinal disturbance (diarrhea; loss of appetite; nausea or vomiting; stomach pain or cramps

- dizziness

- headache

- Change in taste sensation ; dryness of mouth; unpleasant or sharp metallic taste

- Dark urine may be alarming to patient although medically insignificant

- skin rash, hives, redness, or itching, urticaria

- Urinary tract effects (frequent or painful urination; inability to control urine flow; sense of pelvic pressure

- rare: CNS toxicity (ataxia, clumsiness or unsteadiness, encephalopathy, mood or other mental changes), hypersensitivity, pancreatitis, peripheral neuropathy, seizures, thrombocytopenia (unusual bleeding or bruising; black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools; pinpoint red spots on skin), thrombophlebitis (pain, tenderness, redness, or swelling at site of injection)

Drug interactions

- Alcohol with metro can cause disulfiram (antabuse)-like effects: abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, or flushing

- Cimetidine may increase serum metronidazole concentrations

- Phenobarbital may decrease plasma concentration of metro

- metro may increase phenytoin's plasma concentration

 

Other informations

- Store below 40 °C, preferably between 15 and 30 °C , in a well-closed container

- Store in a light-resistant container.