Ofloxacin+tinidazole
About
Ofloxacin+tinidazole is a combination of medicine called 'antibiotics' primarily used to treat various infections caused by bacteria & protozoans. Ofloxacin+tinidazole is used to treat a wide variety of infections caused by susceptible Gram-positive organisms, Gram-negative organisms, anaerobes, and protozoa. Examples of infection caused by protozoa include dysentery (inflammation of the colon) and malaria.
Ofloxacin+tinidazole is a combination of two antibiotics: Ofloxacin and Tinidazole. Ofloxacin helps in treating and preventing a wide range of bacterial infections. It is bactericidal in nature, which means it works by killing bacteria that cause infections. It inhibits bacterial cells' process, ultimately destroying the bacteria, thereby preventing the further spread of the infection. Ofloxacin+tinidazole is a broad-spectrum antibiotic against most Gram-negative bacteria, many Gram-positive bacteria, and some anaerobes bacteria (that live without oxygen). On the other hand, Tinidazole kills parasites and anaerobic bacteria responsible for causing infections. It works by damaging their genetic material called DNA.
Ofloxacin+tinidazole should be taken in the dose and duration your doctor advises. It is recommended to take it with food and be taken at a fixed time to achieve maximum effect. You may sometimes experience nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, headache, etc. Most of these side effects of Ofloxacin+tinidazole do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects are persistent, reach out to your doctor. Please consult your doctor immediately if you experience any allergic reaction symptoms such as rashes, itching, swelling, or shortness of breath.
Inform your doctor if you have any lung disease, muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis), sleeping disorder or difficulty sleeping (sleep apnoea), severe liver disease, or problem with alcohol or other prescription recreational drugs. Inform your doctor if you plan to get pregnant, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding. Use of Ofloxacin+tinidazole is associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon (tough tissue that connects muscle to bone) rupture in all ages. People taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole who are over 60 years are at high risk, especially those taking anti-allergic medicines like corticosteroid drugs. Ofloxacin+tinidazole is contraindicated in people with kidney/heart diseases and those who have had lung transplants, should its use is not recommended.
Uses of Ofloxacin+tinidazole
Medicinal Benefits
Ofloxacin+tinidazole contains antibiotic Ofloxacin and Tinidazole, which helps treat and prevent a wide range of bacterial infections caused by Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and some anaerobic bacteria (that live without oxygen). It is bactericidal and works by killing bacteria that cause infections by preventing the formation of their cell wall required for living. It also inhibits the repairing of bacterial cells. Altogether it kills the bacteria. Ofloxacin+tinidazole has the advantage of good penetration in most deep tissues and body fluids. Hence, it is also suitable for the treatment of deep tissue and bone bacterial infections.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Ofloxacin+tinidazole
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Headache
- Headache
- Metallic taste
- Stomach pain
- Loss of appetite
- Dryness in the mouth
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Do not take Ofloxacin+tinidazole if you are allergic or have had a severe reaction to Ofloxacin or other quinolone or fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as Delafloxacin, Gemifloxacin, Levofloxacin, Moxifloxacin, and Ciprofloxacin. Taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole may increase the chances of developing tendinitis (swelling of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle) or having a tendon rupture (tearing of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle). Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had a kidney, heart, or lung transplant, kidney disease, a joint or tendon disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis (an autoimmune condition of joints causing pain, swelling, and loss of function), seizures (fits), epilepsy or if you participate in regular physical activity. Taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole may worsen muscle weakness in people with myasthenia gravis (a nervous system disorder that causes muscle weakness) and cause severe difficulty breathing or death. Dairy products should be avoided along with Ofloxacin+tinidazole. And also, exposure to sunlight should be avoided while taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole as it may cause increased phototoxicity or photosensitivity. Patients with epilepsy and irregular heartbeat (QT prolongation) should tell their doctor before taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: This medicine may have an interaction with blood thinners (aspirin, warfarin), antidepressants and antipsychotics (clozapine, olanzapine), caffeine, insulin or other anti-diabetic medications (chlorpropamide, glimepiride, glipizide, glyburide, metformin, tolazamide, and tolbutamide), medications for regulating irregular heartbeat (amiodarone, disopyramide, procainamide, quinidine), pain killers (ibuprofen, naproxen). Take Ofloxacin+tinidazole either 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking an antacid, multivitamin, or other product with calcium, magnesium, aluminium, iron, zinc, antiulcer agent (sucralfate) or anti-HIV drug (didanosine).
Drug-Food Interaction: Ofloxacin+tinidazole interacts with dairy products (milk or yoghurt) or calcium-fortified juices alone.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Inform your doctor if you have or have ever had tendon rupture, musculoskeletal problem (myopathy, rhabdomyolysis), kidney/heart/lung transplant, low blood potassium (hypokalemia), kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, seizures (fits), epilepsy or any other neurological disorder if you participate in regular physical activity before starting Ofloxacin+tinidazole.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAlcohol is not known to cause any unpleasant side effects if taken along with Ofloxacin+tinidazole. But intake of alcohol with Ofloxacin+tinidazole may damage your liver. So consuming alcohol should be avoided with Ofloxacin+tinidazole.
Pregnancy
cautionOfloxacin+tinidazole is a pregnancy Category C medicine. It is not known whether Ofloxacin+tinidazole will affect pregnancy. Hence, the intake of Ofloxacin+tinidazole should be avoided if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, as it may harm your foetus. Please consult your doctor.
Breast Feeding
cautionOfloxacin+tinidazole is excreted in human milk. But the amount of Ofloxacin+tinidazole absorbed by the nursing infant is unknown. So, it may be unsafe to be used while breastfeeding. Please consult your doctor.
Driving
cautionOfloxacin+tinidazole can affect alertness and coordination. So, driving vehicles and operating machinery which requires concentration should be avoided.
Liver
cautionOfloxacin+tinidazole to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of liver diseases/conditions. Your doctor may have to adjust the dose if there are symptoms of nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dark-coloured urine, or yellow discolouration of the skin/eye.
Kidney
cautionOfloxacin+tinidazole to be taken with caution, especially if you have a history of kidney diseases/conditions. Your doctor may adjust the dose or prescribe a suitable alternative based on your condition.
Children
unsafeOfloxacin+tinidazole is not recommended for use in children and adolescents below 18 years of age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Do not drink or eat many caffeine-containing products such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, cola, or chocolate. Ofloxacin+tinidazole may increase nervousness, sleeplessness and anxiety caused by caffeine.
- Probiotics should be taken after taking the full course of Ofloxacin+tinidazole to restore some healthy bacteria in the intestines that may have been killed. Taking probiotics after antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Certain fermented foods like yoghurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi can help restore the intestine's good bacteria.
- Include more fibre-enriched food in your diet, as it can be easily digested by gut bacteria, which helps stimulate their growth. Thus, fibre-rich foods may help restore healthy gut bacteria after a course of antibiotics. Whole grains like whole-grain bread and brown rice should be included in your diet. Make sure you drink plenty of water or other fluids daily while taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole.
- Avoid alcoholic consumption with Ofloxacin+tinidazole as it can make you dehydrated and may affect your sleep. This can make it harder for your body to aid the Ofloxacin+tinidazole in fighting off infections.
Special Advise
- Tendon damage (especially to the Achilles tendon) can occur within 48 hours of starting Ofloxacin+tinidazole treatment, so at the first sign of tendinitis (like painful swelling or inflammation), immediately stop taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole and consult a doctor. The affected limbs should be appropriately treated (immobilization).
- In rare cases, prolonged use of Ofloxacin+tinidazole may increase the sugar level to require regular blood sugar monitoring.
- Ofloxacin+tinidazole may cause confusion and dizziness affecting the central nervous system, so if you experience any of these symptoms, immediately stop taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole and consult a doctor.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
A bacterial infection is a condition in which harmful bacteria enter, multiply, and infect our bodies. It can target any body part and multiple very quickly. When you get infected with bacteria, you can experience generalized symptoms like fevers, chills, and fatigue. Bacteria are of various forms comprising, commonly spherical, rod, and spiral-shaped. Bacterial infections vary from minor illnesses like sore throat and ear infections to severe brain infections like meningitis and encephalitis. A few harmful bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli. Anyone can become infected with a bacterial infection. People with weak immune systems or taking immunosuppressive medicine can make them more prone to bacterial infection.
Pneumonia: In this type of infection, there is inflammation of the air sacs in one or both lungs. It can be caused by various organisms, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
Endocarditis: It is the infection of the inner lining of heart chambers and heart valves. It can occur when micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi or other germs from other body parts, such as the mouth, spread through the bloodstream and get attached to damaged areas in the heart.
Septic arthritis: It is also known as joint infection or infectious arthritis. Joint inflammation is due to an infectious agent's invasion of a joint.
Osteomyelitis: It is an infection of the bone caused by staphylococcus bacteria that can be found in the nose or skin in healthy individuals.
Meningitis: It is inflammation of the meninges in which the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord get inflamed. It occurs due to infection, which bacteria or viruses can cause.
Dysentery: It is inflammation of the intestine, particularly the colon, caused by the bacteria Shigella.
Diarrhoea: It is a medical condition in which a person faces loose, watery stools loose or a frequent need to have a bowel movement.
FAQs
Not recommended. A patient with a transplanted kidney might be taking an immunosuppressive drug like cyclosporin which is contraindicated with Ofloxacin+tinidazole failing the efficacy of the Immnosuppresant drug. There are chances of rejection of the transplanted kidney in the patient and, hence, not recommended to take Ofloxacin+tinidazole without a doctor's consultation.
Do not consume alcohol or alcohol-based products while taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole and at least 3 days after your treatment commences. You may experience unpleasant side effects such as fast heartbeats, nausea, vomiting, sweating and tingling under your skin.
Yes, after taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole, you may have diarrhoea. Ofloxacin+tinidazole is an antibiotic that kills or prevents bacterial growth, so some good intestinal bacteria that aid digestion might also get killed. So, drink plenty of fluids and take probiotics to prevent excessive loss of fluids from the body (dehydration).
It is advised not to take Ofloxacin+tinidazole should not be taken along with dairy products as it might affect the absorption and efficacy of Ofloxacin+tinidazole. However, you can take it with a meal that includes these foods or drinks.
Ofloxacin+tinidazole makes your skin sensitive to sunlight, known as photosensitivity. So, prolonged exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light should be avoided. In case of emergency, you should always wear sunscreen before going out.
If you miss a dose of Ofloxacin+tinidazole, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it's almost time for the next dose, do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
Take Ofloxacin+tinidazole either 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking an antacid, multivitamin, or other product that has calcium/magnesium/aluminium/iron/zinc, antiulcer agent (sucralfate) or anti-HIV drug (didanosine).
No, Ofloxacin+tinidazole should be taken in the dose and duration as advised by the doctor. If you take it in more than the recommended dose, it might cause unpleasant side effects. If you think your symptoms are not improving, please consult your doctor
Ofloxacin+tinidazole contains lactose so tell your doctor if you are intolerant to some sugars.
It is advised to tell your doctor if you are already taking Warfarin before taking Ofloxacin+tinidazole as it can increase the time it takes for blood clotting.
