Rifaximin
Description
Rifaximin is an effective medicine used to treat bacterial infections of the intestine. It is used for the treatment of traveler's diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea caused due to certain specific strains of bacteria.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Rifaximin
- Black or Tarry stools
- Difficult and painful breathing
- Swelling of face, lips, eyelids, tongue, hands and feet
- Watery and bloody diarrhea with stomach cramps and fever
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Headache
- Blood in urine
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Ulcer and sore throat
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears
- Flatulence
- Muscle and joint pain
- Blurred vision
- Mental Confusion
- Dry mouth and lips
- Dizziness and fainting
- Unusual tiredness and weakness
Uses of Rifaximin
What is it prescribed for?
- Traveler's Diarrhea
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Irritable bowel syndrome associated diarrhea
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe time taken for this medicine to show its initial effect is not established. It takes about an hour to achieve the peak concentration in the body upon oral administration.
- Duration of effectThe time duration for which this medicine remains effective in the body is not clinically established.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendencies were reported.
- Usage in pregnancy?Use of this medicine during pregnancy is not recommended unless absolutely necessary and the benefits outweigh the risks involved. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Use of this medicine by breastfeeding women is not recommended. However, if it becomes necessary to use this medicine then breastfeeding should be discontinued. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use if you have a known history of allergy to rifaximin or any other ingredient present with it.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Use of this medicine during pregnancy is not recommended unless absolutely necessary and the benefits outweigh the risks involved. Consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Breast-feeding
Use of this medicine by breastfeeding women is not recommended. However, if it becomes necessary to use this medicine then breastfeeding should be discontinued. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
General warnings
Traveler's diarrhea caused by other bacteria
This medicine is not effective to treat diarrhea which is caused by other organisms like Campylobacter jejuni or shigella strains. Any diarrhea complicated by fever and/or blood in the stool should not be treated with this medicine.
Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea
The use of this medicine can cause clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea by killing the gut friendly microorganisms. This results in the production of toxins in the gut which may lead to further diarrhea or a severe colitis.
Drug resistance
It is advised to take this medicine for the entire course. Failure to do so will result in drug-resistant bacteria and subsequent infections will not be treatable by the same medicine.
Liver impairment
This medicine should be used with caution in patients having moderate to severe impairment of liver function.
Dizziness
Use of this medicine may cause dizziness in some patients. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery after taking this medicine till you are sure about the effect of this medicine.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next scheduled dose then the missed dose can be skipped.
Overdose
Contact your doctor immediately if an overdose with this medicine is suspected. Symptoms of an overdose may include fainting, difficulty in breathing, dizziness, headache, nausea and vomiting.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Ketoconazole
Pantoprazole
Propranolol
Warfarin
Cyclosporine
Live cholera vaccine
Disease interactions
Colitis
This medicine should be used with caution in patients having colitis or other diseases of the gastrointestinal tract as the risk of worsening of the disease is significantly high. The use of this medicine should be stopped if the patient experiences diarrhea for prolonged duration of time.
Liver Disease
This medicine should be administered with caution in patients having an impairment of liver function.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Rifaximin as instructed by the doctor. It is advised to take this medicine for the entire prescribed duration even when the symptoms have resolved. This medicine can be taken with or without food. An adequate amount of water should be consumed while and after taking this medicine.
Miscelleneous
How it works
This medicine works by interfering with some vital processes in the bacterial cell and stopping the growth and multiplication of the microorganism.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Miscellaneous antibiotics
Schedule
Schedule H
[Internet]. 2017 [cited 3 May 2017]. Available from:
[Internet]. 2017 [cited 3 May 2017]. Available from:
DailyMed - rifaximin tablet [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 3 May 2017]. Available from:
Rifaximin: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 3 May 2017]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 16 Nov 2017
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.