Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Doxycycline for Injection USP
What Doxycycline for Injection USP is used for:
Doxycycline for Injection USP is used to treat various infections caused by bacteria such as:
- Pneumonia
- Respiratory Tract Infections
- Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
- Urinary Tract Infections
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Rickettsial Infections (infections that are spread by ticks, mites, fleas or lice)
- Anthrax
- Doxycycline for Injection USP is used with other anti-malarial drugs (such as quinine) to treat malaria.
- Doxycycline for Injection USP is used to treat adults and children 8 years or older.
- Antibacterial drugs like Doxycycline for Injection USP treat bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections such as the common cold.
How Doxycycline for Injection USP works:
Doxycycline for Injection USP is an antibiotic. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps get rid of the infection.
The ingredients in Doxycycline for Injection USP are:
Medicinal ingredients: Doxycycline hyclate
Non-medicinal ingredients: Ascorbic acid and mannitol
Doxycycline for Injection USP comes in the following dosage forms:
Doxycycline for Injection USP is available as a powder for injection supplied in 100 mg per vial and 200 mg per vial.
Do not use Doxycycline for Injection USP if:
- You are allergic to any of the ingredients in Doxycycline for Injection USP. See also “The ingredients in Doxycycline for Injection USP are:” above.
- You are allergic to tetracycline drugs (a class of antibiotics).
- You have myasthenia gravis (a muscle disease).
- You are taking isotretinoin (e.g., Accutane).
To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take Doxycycline for Injection USP. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
- Are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. Some of this drug may pass to your baby. Doxycycline for Injection USP is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding.
Other warnings that you should know about:
Medical Testing: Your Healthcare professional may order testing before and after your treatment to monitor your health and ensure that your infection has been fully treated.
Discolouration of Teeth: Drugs like Doxycycline for Injection USP may cause discolouration (yellow-gray-brown) of the teeth during tooth development. This can affect your child in the last trimester of pregnancy, when you are breastfeeding or if they receive Doxycycline for Injection USP under the age of 8 years old.
Sensitivity to Light: Drugs like Doxycycline for Injection USP may make you more sensitive to light. Minimize or avoid exposure to natural or artificial sunlight while taking Doxycycline for Injection USP. Wear sunscreen or cover your skin when sunlight exposure cannot be avoided.
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
Serious drug interactions:
Isotretinoin (e.g., Accutane): Using Doxycycline and Isotretinoin together may cause increased risk of benign intracranial hypertension (pressure around the brain) with symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting, and vision loss. Do not use Doxycycline for Injection USP and isotretinoin together.
The following may also interact with Doxycycline for Injection USP:
Alcohol.
- Barbiturates (drugs that help you sleep).
- Carbamazepine (a drug that controls epilepsy).
- Cyclosporine (a drug that decreases the activity of the immune system).
- Iron Supplements.
- Methoxyflurane (an anaesthetic).
- Oral Anticoagulants (drugs to thin the blood).
- Penicillin, rifampicin, and other drugs that treat infections.
- Phenytoin (a drug that controls epilepsy).
- Sulphonylurea (a drug that helps treat diabetes).
Oral Contraceptives: Birth control pills may not work if you are on them while taking Doxycycline for Injection USP. You should use other birth control while taking these products and for 7 days after stopping.
How to take Doxycycline for Injection USP:
- Although you may feel better early in treatment, Doxycycline for Injection USP should be used exactly as directed.
- Misuse or overuse of Doxycycline for Injection USP could lead to growth of bacteria that will not be killed by Doxycycline for Injection USP (resistance). This means that Doxycycline for Injection USP may not work for you in the future.
- Doxycycline for Injection USP will be prepared and given to you by a healthcare professional in a healthcare setting.
- It will be infused directly into your vein over a period of 1 to 4 hours.
- Follow all instructions given to you by your healthcare professional.
Usual dose:
- Your doctor will decide how much Doxycycline for Injection USP you will be given and how often and for how long you will receive it.
- The dose you are given will depend on the type and severity of your infection.
- It is usually given 1 or 2 times a day.
- The maximum daily dose of Doxycycline for Injection USP is 300 mg per day.
- For children, the dose given depends on their weight and age.
Overdose:
If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much Doxycycline for Injection USP, contact a healthcare professional, hospital emergency department, regional poison control centre or Health Canada’s toll-free number, 1-844 POISON-X (1-844-764-7669) immediately, even if there are no signs or symptoms.
Missed Dose:
Doxycycline for Injection USP is administered by a healthcare professional. If you suspect a missed dose, talk to your healthcare professional.
Possible side effects from using Doxycycline for Injection USP:
These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking Doxycycline for Injection USP. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.
Side effects may occur while using Doxycycline for Injection USP:
- Change in tooth colour.
- Pain or irritation near the vein that is injected with Doxycycline for Injection USP.
- Loss of appetite.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Heartburn.
- Swelling or inflammation of the tongue or rectum
- Blushing or skin redness.
- Low levels of red blood cells or platelets.
- Low or high levels of white blood cells.
- High level of blood urea nitrogen.
- Ringing in your ears.
- Fever.
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking this drug and get immediate medical help | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking this drug and get immediate medical help | |
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
| UNKNOWN | |||
| Allergic reaction: difficulty swallowing or breathing, wheezing, faster heartbeat, feeling sick to your stomach and throwing up, hives or rash, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat. | √ | ||
| Autoimmune adverse drug reaction: swelling of hands and feet, muscle and joint pain, fever, hives, itchy skin, rash. | √ | ||
| Benign intracranial hypertension (high blood pressure in the brain): headache, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances (e.g., blurred vision, double vision, blank spots). | √ | ||
| Clostridium difficile colitis (bowel inflammation): severe diarrhea (bloody or watery) with or without fever, abdominal pain, or tenderness. | √ | ||
| Kidney problems: nausea, vomiting, fever, swelling of extremities, fatigue, thirst, dry skin, irritability, dark urine, increased or decreased urine output, blood in the urine, rash, weight gain (from retaining fluid), | √ | ||
| loss of appetite, abnormal blood test results, mental status changes (drowsiness, confusion, coma). | |||
| Liver disorder: yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine and pale stools, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite. | √ | ||
| Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas): upper abdominal pain, fever, rapid heartbeat, nausea, vomiting, tenderness when touching the abdomen. | √ | ||
| Severe skin reactions: fever, severe rash, swollen lymph glands, flu-like feeling, blisters and peeling skin that may start in and around the mouth, nose, eyes and genitals and spread to other areas of the body, yellow skin or eyes, shortness of breath, dry cough, chest pain or discomfort, feeling thirsty, urinating less often, less urine. | √ | ||
| Vaginal yeast infection (inflammation of the vagina): itching, burning, or discharge from the vagina. | √ | ||
If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, tell your healthcare professional.
Reporting Side Effects
You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:
- Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting (canada.ca/drug-device-reporting) for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax; or
- Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.
NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.
Storage:
Store at 15°C to 30°C (unopened vials of dry powder).
Keep in package until time of use.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
If you want more information about Doxycycline for Injection USP:
- Talk to your healthcare professional
- Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada Drug Product Database website: (Drug Product Database: Access the database; the manufacturer’s website www.sterimax.com, or by calling 1-800-881-3550.