Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Tygacil
Serious warnings and precautions box
- TYGACIL is associated with an increased risk of death.
- TYGACIL should only be used in situations where alternative treatments are not suitable.
What TYGACIL is used for:
TYGACIL is an antibiotic medicine. It is used to treat the following serious bacterial infections in adults:
- skin infections
- abdomen infections
- community acquired pneumonia (lung infections caught outside of hospitals or other health care facilities)
Antibacterial drugs like TYGACIL treat only bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections.
How TYGACIL works:
TYGACIL belongs to the class of medicines called tetracycline antibiotics. It works by helping to stop the growth of bacteria responsible for your infection.
The ingredients in TYGACIL are:
Medicinal ingredient: tigecycline
Non-medicinal ingredients: hydrochloric acid, lactose monohydrate, sodium hydroxide
TYGACIL comes in the following dosage form:
Each TYGACIL vial contains 50 mg of tigecycline powder.
Do not use TYGACIL if:
- you are allergic to tigecycline or any of the non-medicinal ingredients in TYGACIL (see The ingredients in TYGACIL are:),
- you are allergic to other tetracycline antibiotics such as doxycycline, minocycline, and tetracycline.
To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take TYGACIL. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
- have other infections.
- have liver problems.
- have any heart conditions.
are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. TYGACIL may cause harm to your unborn baby.
- are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if TYGACIL passes into breast milk. There is a possibility of permanent staining of the teeth of your child if you breastfeed.
Other warnings you should know about:
Children: TYGACIL is for use in adults aged 18 and over. There is no experience with the use of TYGACIL in children under 18 years of age. TYGACIL may cause enamel loss and staining in developing teeth.
Driving and using machines: Do not drive or operate machinery. TYGACIL may cause side effects such as dizziness.
Sensitivity to sunlight: TYGACIL may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight than it is normally. To protect your skin from sunburn, you should:
- Wear protective clothing and sunglasses
- Limit your time in the sun especially between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Use sunscreen
- Avoid using tanning beds
Clostridium difficile colitis (bowel inflammation): If you develop severe diarrhea during your treatment with TYGACIL or over 2 months after your treatment is finished, talk to your healthcare professional immediately (see the Serious side effects and what to do about them table, below). Do not use any medicine to treat your diarrhea without first checking with your healthcare professional.
Blood tests and monitoring: Your healthcare professional may order some blood tests for you before and while you are on treatment with TYGACIL.
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
The following may interact with TYGACIL:
- anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin
- contraceptive pill (birth control pill). Talk to your healthcare professional about the need for an additional method of contraception while receiving TYGACIL.
- drugs that weaken the immune system such as tacrolimus or cyclosporine. Taking TYGACIL may lead to increased levels of these drugs in your body. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking tacrolimus or cyclosporine so that blood levels can be checked before, during and after taking TYGACIL. The dose of tacrolimus or cyclosporine may be adjusted while you are taking TYGACIL.
How to take TYGACIL:
- Your healthcare professional will give TYGACIL by intravenous infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein) over a period of 30 to 60 minutes.
- Although you may feel better early in treatment, TYGACIL should be used exactly as directed.
- Misuse or overuse of TYGACIL could lead to the growth of bacteria that will not be killed by TYGACIL (resistance). This means that TYGACIL may not work for you in the future.
- Do not share your medicine.
- If your condition does not improve in a few days or if it gets worse, contact your healthcare professional.
Usual dose:
The usual adult dose of TYGACIL is 100 mg for the first dose, followed by 50 mg every 12 hours.
The length of your treatment depends on the type of infection you have and how your body responds to TYGACIL.
Overdose:
If you think you, or a person you are caring for, have taken too much TYGACIL, 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:
If you are concerned that you may have missed a dose, talk to your healthcare professional immediately.
Possible side effects from using TYGACIL:
These are not all the possible side effects you may have when taking TYGACIL. If you experience any side effects not listed here, tell your healthcare professional.
Side effects may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain
- Dizziness
- Skin rash
- Itching
- Headache
- Abdominal discomfort
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Serious side effects and what to do about them | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequency/Side Effect/Symptom | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking this drug and get immediate medical help | |
| Frequency/Side Effect/Symptom | 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 | ||
| Uncommon | |||
| Allergic reactions: rash, difficulty breathing, tightening of chest, swelling of lips, tongue or throat | √ | ||
| Cardiovascular problems: racing heartbeat (palpitations) or fainting | √ | ||
| Chest pain | √ | ||
| Chills | √ | ||
| Clostridium difficile colitis (bowel inflammation): severe or persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, fever | √ | ||
Decreased platelets (cells in the blood that help the blood clot):
| √ | ||
| Fever | √ | ||
| Injection site reaction: pain, redness, inflammation | √ | ||
| Liver problems (jaundice): dark urine, yellowness of skin or eye | √ | ||
| Pancreatitis (Inflammation of the pancreas): severe upper stomach pain, often with nausea and vomiting | √ | ||
| Pseudotumor cerebri (pressure inside the skull is increased): severe headache, buzzing sound in the ears (tinnitus), severe dizziness, vision changes, severe nausea | √ | ||
| Serious skin reactions (Stevens Johnson syndrome): redness, blistering and/or peeling of the skin and/or inside of the lips, eyes, mouth, nasal passages or genitals, accompanied by fever, chills, headache, cough, body aches or swollen glands, rash or patch appearing on the exact same spot | √ | ||
| Vein irritations from the injection: pain, inflammation, swelling and clotting | √ | ||
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 healthcare professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.
Storage:
The healthcare professional will store the product under appropriate conditions.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
If you want more information about TYGACIL:
- 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: (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/drug-products/drug-product-database.html; the manufacturer’s website http://www.pfizer.ca, or by calling 1-800-463-6001.
Date of Authorization: 2025-11-04