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Description
This medicine contains the active ingredient
tetracycline hydrochloride, which belongs to a group of antibiotics
called the tetracyclines. It is used to treat infections caused by
bacteria.
Tetracycline works by interfering with the ability of bacteria to
produce proteins that are essential to them. Without these proteins the
bacteria cannot grow, multiply and increase in numbers. Tetracycline
therefore stops the spread of the infection and the remaining bacteria
are killed by the immune system or eventually die.
Tetracycline is a broad spectrum antibiotic that is active against
a wide variety of bacteria. However, some strains of bacteria have
developed resistance to this antibiotic, which has reduced its
effectiveness for treating some types of infection.
Tetracycline is still used to treat infections caused by chlamydia
(eg the chest infection psittacosis, the eye infection trachoma, and
the genital infection urethritis) and infections caused by mycoplasma
organisms (eg pneumonia).
Tetracycline is used to treat acne, due to its activity against the
bacteria on the skin that cause acne (Propionebacterium acnes). It is
used to treat flare-ups of chronic bronchitis, due to its activity
against the bacteria usually responsible, Haemophilus influenzae.
Tetracycline is also used to treat other rarer infections, such as
those caused by a group of micro-organisms called rickettsiae (eg Q
fever, Rocky mountain spotted fever) and those caused by Brucella
bacteria (brucellosis).
To make sure the bacteria causing an infection are susceptible to
tetracycline your doctor may take a tissue sample, for example a swab
from the infected area, or a urine or blood sample.
What is it used for?
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Acne vulgaris
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Chlamydia infections
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Chronic bronchitis
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Chronic inflammatory disorder of the facial skin (acne rosacea)
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Infection caused by Brucella bacteria (brucellosis)
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Infections caused by Mycoplasma organisms
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Infections caused by Rickettsiae micro-organisms transmitted by lice, fleas, ticks and mites
Warning!
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Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is
important that you finish the prescribed course of this antibiotic
medicine, even if you feel better or it seems the infection has cleared
up. Stopping the course early increases the chance that the infection
will come back and that the bacteria will grow resistant to the
antibiotic.
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Broad-spectrum antibiotics can sometimes
cause diarrhoea. If you experience diarrhoea that becomes severe or
persistent or contains blood or mucus, either during or after taking
this medicine, you should consult your doctor immediately.
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In some people this medicine can cause the
skin to become more sensitive to sunlight and UV light. For this reason
you should avoid excessive exposure to strong sunlight, and avoid using
sunbeds and sunlamps while you are taking this medicine.
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This medicine should be swallowed whole with
plenty of water while you are sitting or standing. This is to prevent
the medicine irritating the throat. Avoid taking a dose just before
going to bed.
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Consult your doctor if you get a severe persistant headache, or double or blurred vision while taking this medicine.
Use with caution in
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Decreased kidney function
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Decreased liver function
Not to be used in
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Breastfeeding
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Children under 12 years of age
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Long-term inflammation of skin and some internal organs (systemic lupus erythematosus)
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Moderate to severely decreased kidney function
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Pregnancy
This medicine should not be used if you are
allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or
pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using
this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be
used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be
safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the
mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor
if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
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This medicine should not be used during pregnancy as it may be harmful to the unborn baby. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
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Significant amounts of this medicine may pass
into breast milk. It should not be used by breastfeeding mothers.
Discuss this with your doctor.
Label warnings
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Do not take iron preparations, milk or indigestion remedies at the same time of day as this medication.
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Take at regular intervals. Complete the prescribed course unless otherwise directed.
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Take this medication an hour before food or on an empty stomach.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side
effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following
are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this
medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that
all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
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Headache
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Diarrhoea
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Visual disturbances
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Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)
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Dizziness
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Nausea and vomiting
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Skin reactions such as rash and itch
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Liver disorders
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Difficulty or pain when swallowing (dysphagia)
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Abnormal reaction of the skin to light, usually a rash (photosensitivity)
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
For more information about any other possible risks associated with
this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine
or consult your doctor or pharmacist.
How can this medicine affect other medicines?
The following medicines may reduce the absorption of tetracycline from the gut and should not be taken at the same time:
- antacids for heartburn and indigestion containing aluminium, bismuth, calcium or magnesium
- iron tablets, eg ferrous sulphate (the absorption of iron tablets from the gut is also reduced by the tetracycline)
- calcium supplements and dairy products
- colestipol
- kaolin
- quinapril (brand name Accupro, because these capsules also contain magnesium carbonate)
- zinc sulphate.
This medicine may increase the blood-thinning effects of anticoagulant medicines such as warfarin.
If this medicine is taken with acitretin, isotretinoin or tretinoin
there may be an increased risk of developing raised pressure within the
skull (benign intracranial hypertension), and these combinations should
be avoided.
Tetracycline antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of
penicillin antibiotics in the treatment of serious infections such as
meningitis and scarlet fever.
If you are taking a combined oral contraceptive pill there may be a
very low risk that this antibiotic may make it less effective at
preventing pregnancy. Although the risk of this is very low, the
personal and ethical consequences of an unwanted pregnancy can be very
serious. For this reason the Family Planning Association recommends
that women taking combined oral contraceptives should use an extra
method of contraception (eg condoms) while taking a short course of
broad-spectrum antibiotic, and for seven days after finishing the
course. If the seven days run beyond the end of a pill packet, a new
packet should be started without a break (in the case of ED pills the
inactive tablets should be omitted). For more information talk to your
pharmacist.
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