Browse Prescribing Notes by Therapeutic Subcategory

For antibiotics and antiinfectives for treating urinary tract infections see Bacterial infections section.

For successful eradication of UTI, ideally a culture & sensitivity should be done before administering the antiinfective of choice. Advise patients to continue taking medication until course of treatment is finished unless severe allergic reactions occur. For proven recurrent infections in women, as well when UTI is the initial diagnosis in men and children, functional or anatomical abnormalities should be excluded.
Antibiotic interactions: Bactericidal drugs are primarily active against actively dividing cells. Therefore, bacteriostatic antibiotics (eg, tetracyclines) may interfere with the action of bactericidal antibiotics (eg, penicillins).
Antibiotic adverse reactions: Pseudomembranous colitis may occur following the administration of antibacterial agents. This may range in severity from mild to life-threatening. This diagnosis should be considered in patients who present with diarrhea subsequent to antibiotic therapy. Mild cases usually respond to discontinuing the drug; more severe cases may need supportive care and/or therapy with an agent effective against Clostridium difficile. Anti-motility drugs should be avoided since they may precipitate toxic megacolon. Also, overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms, including fungal overgrowth (superinfection) may occur with the prolonged use of antibiotics.