Guide To Understanding Doxycycline
Doxycycline is a strong tetracycline antibiotic! It first became available in the 1950s. Most patients take this as an oral medication, though certain cases do receive it as an injection! This antibiotic is suitable for both adults and children. However, children under eight years old are only allowed to take it for severe conditions. The reason for this is due to the side effects that it causes in these patients!
Most patients take doxycycline as a bacterial infection treatment. Specifically, it is a strong treatment for pneumonia and similar conditions! Doctors often prescribe this antibiotic as an acne treatment. This typically happens when individuals have not been successful with creams or ointments for acne! However, patients need to understand how this medication works when they are choosing among oral antibiotics for infection and other treatments.
How It Works
Doxycycline is a powerful antibiotic! It stops bacteria from growing. It binds to a ribosomal subunit that is only found in bacteria! This blocks certain RNAs from binding here. Thus, it means that new proteins cannot form. It also means that bacteria are prevented from growing here! When this happens, the patient's immune system fights back. It destroys the bacteria efficiently!
This antibiotic reaches its peak in one to two hours, and most body tissues and fluids absorb it. The kidneys, liver, gallbladder, and lungs have the highest levels of this medication! Healthy patients find that this medication's half-life is eighteen to twenty-two hours.
Get the details on the uses for this medication next.
Uses
This amazing antibiotic treats several bacterial infections. Examples include bronchitis and pneumonia! It also treats gum disease, urinary tract infections, and eye infections. Patients with certain sexually transmitted infections also benefit from taking doxycycline!
A less well-known use for this antibiotic is to treat acne. Evidence indicates that it reduces the number of blemishes and increases their rate of healing! This medication also treats bumps from rosacea. Individuals who are traveling to high-risk locations for malaria are often prescribed certain brands of this antibiotic. Finally, this medication treats infections triggered by lice, ticks, and mites as well!
Keep reading to reveal the side effects next.
Side Effects
Many patients experience side effects on this antibiotic! The most common ones are diarrhea, indigestion, nausea, and vomiting. Stomach aches often appear too! Other fairly common side effects are dry mouth, toothaches, headaches, and pain in the upper abdomen. Flu-like symptoms are less common, but they also occur! Other less common side effects of this medication include flushing, gastritis, and gum pain. Rare effects of this antibiotic include colitis, constipation, and bloody diarrhea. Discolored teeth are common in children who take this medication. They are less common in adults! Patients often experience swallowing pain as well. Thankfully, it resolves within a week of stopping this antibiotic!
Certain side effects require patients to inform their doctor immediately! Examples include dizziness, chest pain, joint pain, and fainting. Patients also need to call right away for severe stomach pain, jaundice, dark urine, and light stool! These side effects are symptoms of pancreas or liver problems. Also, individuals have had allergic reactions to this antibiotic. Signs include lip and tongue swelling, hives, and breathing issues. Facial swelling is another one! All of them require emergency medical attention!
Learn about precautions next.
Precautions
Patients must take several precautions with this medication! For example, they cannot take it when they are allergic to other tetracycline antibiotics. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding are unable to take this medication as well. Additionally, patients with asthma, liver disease, or kidney disease often need a different antibiotic. This also applies to individuals with an allergy to sulfites! Thus, patients must discuss their complete medical history with their doctor before taking this medication.
Patients often deal with an upset stomach due to this medicine. When this occurs, they need to ask their doctor about taking it with some milk or food. Asking first is vital! Some brands must be taken on an empty stomach. These patients need to take their medication at least one hour before eating. When they want to take it after eating, they must wait two hours! Delayed-release tablets need to be swallowed whole. Regular pills, however, are safe to break open. Patients can mix the contents in applesauce! This is particularly helpful for individuals who often have trouble swallowing. Patients also need to wear strong sunscreen, as this medication increases their sun sensitivity! Finally, patients need to throw away expired medication, as it causes kidney damage!
Discover medication interactions next.
Medication Interactions
Doxycycline interacts with over 180 other medications. Thus, patients need to list every medication, both prescription and over-the-counter, that they take! They also need to include supplements and vitamins on this list. Their doctor must know about all of them to help patients effectively avoid medication interactions with this antibiotic! The pharmacist dispensing it also needs to check this list.
Severe interactions exist with acitretin and lomitapide, among others. This antibiotic is also not safe to take alongside fibroblasts from bovine collagen! Thus, patients cannot take both! Patients need alternative antibiotics when they already take isotretinoin, blood thinners, and seizure medications.