Antibiotic Ciprofloxacin: features of use, from which it helps, side effects and dosage

The growing number of various bacterial lesions of the urogenital tract, skin and other internal organs are forcing doctors to look for new, more effective antibiotics.

On the one hand, this expands the possibilities of therapy, on the other, it leads to the development of resistance of the bacterial flora to the action of drugs.

A peculiar exception is the antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, which belongs to the class of second-generation fluoroquinolones.

However, in terms of clinical effectiveness, it significantly surpasses its "classmates".

This leads to its widespread use in medical practice for the treatment of various bacterial infections, including venereal diseases of the genitourinary system.

The main component of the drug is the antibacterial component of the same name, which has a bactericidal effect. Due to the inhibition of the synthesis of DNA - gyrase of the pathogenic cell, the processes of reproduction, replication and spread of the infectious flora are suspended. The drug has a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity.

The antibiotic targets:

• gram-negative bacteria, in particular Escherichia coli, Shigella, Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Proteus, Yersinia, etc .;
• gram-positive microorganisms, including most strains of staphylococcus, streptococcus;
• other pathogens, including chlamydia, anaerobes, mycoplasma.

Particularly noteworthy is the activity of Ciprofloxacin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is the cause of most complications of infectious diseases of the genitourinary system in men and women.

The antibiotic Ciprofloxacin under various trade names is available as:

• injection solution with a concentration of the active ingredient of 2 or 4 mg per 1 ml of the drug;
• drops for the treatment of bacterial lesions of the organs of vision and hearing (0.3%);
• tablets with an active ingredient content of 0.25, 0.75 and 0.5 g.

The antibacterial activity of the drug is due to its pharmacological properties. It is distinguished by high bioavailability (up to 80%) and rapid absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. The maximum concentration in the blood occurs within 1-2 hours after using the tablet and 60 minutes after the injection. According to experts, the drug is quickly distributed to almost all tissues and biological media of the body.

Unlike antibiotics of other groups, Ciprofloxacin quickly creates therapeutic active concentrations in the prostate, kidneys, bladder, urethra, etc. (exceed the content of the drug in plasma up to 12 times). Excreted through the kidneys, partly metabolism is carried out in the liver. The half-life is on average 3 to 6 hours. If the kidneys are disrupted, this time is doubled.

Indications for the appointment of Ciprofloxacin are any infections caused by flora susceptible to the action of the drug.

Among them:

• infections of the upper and lower genitourinary system, including cystitis, urethritis, pyelonephritis;
• bacterial prostatitis;
• bacterial lesions of the digestive tract, including infectious diarrhea (including traveler's diarrhea), salmonellosis, severe colitis, etc.;
• infections of the skin and soft tissues, including pyoderma, provoked by gram-positive flora, Pseudomonas aeruginosa;
• inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs, including those caused by sexually transmitted infections, especially gonococcus;
• lesions of the ENT organs and the underlying parts of the respiratory tract.

The use of Ciprofloxacin is limited when:

• pregnancy and breastfeeding (in this case, it is recommended to replace it with safer drugs from the cephalosporin group);
• childhood and adolescence (the drug is prescribed only to patients over 18 years of age, although the medical literature describes cases of using the drug in 15 year olds adolescents);
• hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, and the list of contraindications also includes the patient's history of allergy to other fluoroquinolones.

Given the peculiarities of the metabolism of the drug, dosage adjustment may be required in patients with renal and hepatic insufficiency, elderly patients. In addition, like any other antibiotic, Ciprofloxacin should only be taken as directed and under the supervision of a physician.

Ciprofloxacin: what helps, features of use and dosage, interaction with other medicines

For the treatment of uncomplicated bacterial infections, Ciprofloxacin is prescribed in the form of tablets at a dosage of 0.25 to 0.75 twice a day. The duration of therapy depends on the type of bacteria - the causative agent and the localization of the inflammatory process and can be up to 4 weeks.

The most common treatment regimens are:

• acute uncomplicated gonorrhea - 0.5 g once a day once, with a complicated form, the dosage of the drug remains the same, but the treatment is extended to 7 days;
• bacterial prostatitis - 1 g per day for 4 weeks;
• infections of the lower parts of the urinary tract - 0.5-1 g once a day (it is allowed to divide the dose into two doses - 0.25 and 0.5 g, respectively) for 3-10 days;
• skin lesions - 1-1.5 g once a day (or 0.5-0.75 g twice a day) for 1-2 weeks.

In severe bacterial diseases, the antibiotic is prescribed in the form of injections for the first few days of therapy. Then, by the decision of the doctor, it is possible to transfer the patient to taking pills. Ciprofloxacin is administered intravenously as a dropper. The dosage is 0.2 to 0.4 g twice a day. For local treatment of bacterial lesions of the organs of vision and hearing, an antibiotic is prescribed in the form of drops. At the initial stage of therapy, 1-2 drops are instilled every 1-2 hours. After improvement of the condition, the interval between the use of the drug is increased.

When taken simultaneously with other drugs, the following complications may develop:

• antacids, intestinal wall coating agents, multivitamins and other medicines containing compounds of aluminum, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium - reduce the absorption of Ciprofloxacin from digestive tract;
• anticoagulants (for example, drug Marcumar) - it is possible to increase their effectiveness and the risk of bleeding;
• drugs for anesthesia - reduce the concentration of Ciprofloxacin in the blood;
• hypoglycemic agents, in particular, Glibenclamide - a decrease in effectiveness, which requires control of the level of glycemia;
• intestinal motility stimulants - increase the concentration of Ciprofloxacin in the blood;
• drugs for the treatment of gout - increases the toxic effect of the antibiotic on the kidneys;
• Theophylline and its group analogs - it is possible to increase their concentration in plasma;
• NSAIDs (with the exception of Aspirin) - an increase in undesirable effects on the central nervous system;
• immunosuppressants - their dosage must be adjusted while taking Ciprofloxacin.

Failure to comply with the recommended dosage may develop:

• nausea;
• vomiting;
• disturbances of consciousness;
• convulsive seizures;
• disorders of the heart, liver, kidneys.

If there are signs of an overdose of the drug, you should immediately consult a doctor. There is no definite antidote. The patient is given more fluid and symptomatic treatment is carried out until the condition normalizes.

Ciprofloxacin: side effects, analogues, cost and reviews

Despite a wide range of antimicrobial activity, a pronounced effect on the body, and an extensive list of indications, the drug rarely causes side effects.

More often than others, doctors note:

• nausea, in isolated cases - vomiting, loss of appetite;
• dizziness, headaches;
• allergic reactions;
• tachycardia, shortness of breath.

With parenteral administration, there may be pain at the place where the dropper is placed, slight swelling, phlebitis.

Of the analogs of Ciprfloxacin, which have the same spectrum of antimicrobial activity, the doctor may recommend:

• Quintor (India);
• Infitsipro (India);
• Tseprova (India);
• Tsiprinol and the prolonged form of Tsiprinol SR (Slovenia);
• Tsiprobay (Germany);
• Tsifran (India).

Koroshkin Petr Vasilievich, physician - therapist. “I rarely prescribe ciprofloxacin. However, this is not due to the low efficacy of the drug, but rather the opposite, with a wide range of antimicrobial activity. I prescribe it to patients with particularly resistant forms of infection. The drug helps quickly, rarely causes complications. "

Andrey, 38 years old. “The doctor prescribed Ciprofloxacin when gonorrhea was diagnosed. Given my condition, it was hard to believe that just one pill would help. But really, it was enough for the symptoms of the disease to quickly disappear. "

Ciprofloxacin, side effects of which are quite rare, and the list of contraindications is quite small, is an effective antibiotic that is used to treat various infections. The most affordable domestic drug (the cost ranges from 40-50 rubles). But foreign analogues also do not hit the pocket too much, for example, the Israeli Ciprofloxacin Teva costs about 130 rubles for 10 tablets of 0.5 g each.