Abacin

Uses

What is abacin used for?

Abacin is commonly used for the treatment of many kinds of infections, such as:

• Urinary tract infections
• Middle ear infections (otitis media)
• Bronchitis
• Traveler’s diarrhea
• Shigellosis (bacillary dysentery)
• Pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci or Pneumocystis carinii

How should I take abacin?

For orally taken form, you should:

• Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor concerning: dose, schedule.
• Read the label carefully before using Abacin.
• Consult your doctor for any information on the label that you do not clearly understand.

How do I store abacin?

Abacin is best stored at room temperature away from direct light and moisture. To prevent drug damage, you should not store abacin in the bathroom or the freezer. There may be different brands of abacin that may have different storage needs. It is important to always check the product package for instructions on storage, or ask your pharmacist. For safety, you should keep all medicines away from children and pets.

You should not flush abacin down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. It is important to properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist for more details about how to safely discard your product.

Precautions & warnings

What should I know before using abacin?

Before using abacin, tell your doctor if you have:

• Allergic reaction to abacin, excipients using for dosage form containing abacin
• Allergic reaction to any other medicines, foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals
• Used any other health conditions, drugs that have a risk of interaction with abacin

Is it safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding?

There are no adequate studies in women for determining risk when using abacin during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Please always consult with your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before taking abacin. Abacin is pregnancy risk category D, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

FDA pregnancy risk category reference below:

• A=No risk
• B=No risk in some studies
• C=There may be some risk
• D=Positive evidence of risk
• X=Contraindicated
• N=Unknown

Side effects

What side effects can occur from abacin?

As taking others medicines, taking abacin can cause some side effects. Most of them are rarely occurring and do not need any supplementary treatment. However, it is always important for you to consult your doctor if you have any problem after taking this medicine.

Some of the side effects are listed below:

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• Black, tarry stools
• Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• Changes in skin color
• Chest pain
• Chills
• A cough or hoarseness
• Dark urine
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Fever with or without chills
• General feeling of tiredness or weakness
• Headache
• Itching
• Joint or muscle pain
• Light-colored stools
• Loss of appetite
• Lower back or side pain
• Nausea
• Pain, tenderness, or swelling of the foot or leg
• Painful or difficult urination
• Pale skin
• Rash
• Red skin lesions, often with a purple center
• Red, irritated eyes
• Shortness of breath
• A sore throat
• Sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
• Swollen or painful glands
• Tightness in the chest
• Unpleasant breath odor
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Vomiting of blood
• Wheezing
• Yellow eyes or skin

Not everyone experiences these side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have any concerns about a side-effect, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Interactions

What drugs may interact with abacin?

Abacin may interact with other drugs that you are currently taking, which can change how your drug works or increase your risk for serious side effects. To avoid any potential drug interactions, you should keep a list of all the drugs you are using (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. For your safety, do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any drugs listed below without your doctor’s approval.

Products may interact with your drug, such as:

Does food or alcohol interact with abacin?

Abacin may interact with food or alcohol by altering the way the drug works or increase the risk for serious side effects. Please discuss with your doctor or pharmacist any potential food or alcohol interactions before using this drug.

What health conditions may interact with abacin?

Abacin may interact with your health condition. This interaction may worsen your health condition or alter the way the drug works. It is important to always let your doctor and pharmacist know all the health conditions you currently have, especially:

• Alcohol abuse, or history of alcohol abuse
• Folate (vitamin B9) deficiency
• HIV or AIDS
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Malabsorption syndrome
• Malnutrition state (nutrition disorder)
• Anemia
• Megaloblastic
• Drug-induced thrombocytopenia (low platelets in the blood) after using this medicine
• Kidney disease, severe
• Liver disease, severe
• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Hyperkalemia
• Hyponatremia
• Porphyria
• Severe allergies
• Thyroid problems
• Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency (an enzyme problem)
• Streptococcal infection (group A β-hemolytic)

Dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for any medical advice. You should ALWAYS consult with your doctor or pharmacist before using abacin.

What is the dose of abacin for an adult?

For treatment of bacterial infections: adults weighing 40 kilograms (kg) or more: the dose can be adjusted, commonly is about 800 milligrams (mg) of sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of trimethoprim.

For treatment of pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci or Pneumocystis carinii: dose is calculated based on body weight by your doctor. The usual dose is 75 to 100 milligrams (mg) per kilogram of body weight of sulfamethoxazole and 15 to 20 milligrams (mg) per kilogram of body weight of trimethoprim each day, given in equally divided doses every 6 hours for 14 to 21 days.

For prevention of pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci or Pneumocystis carinii: the recommended dose is 800 milligrams (mg) of sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of trimethoprim once a day.

For traveler’s diarrhea: the recommended dose is 800 milligrams (mg) of sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of trimethoprim every 12 hours for 5 days.

What is the dose of abacin for a child?

For treatment of bacterial infections:

• Children weighing 40 kilograms (kg) or more: the dose can be adjusted, commonly is about 800 milligrams (mg) of sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of trimethoprim.
• Children 2 months of age and older, and weighing up to 40 kg: dose is calculated based on body weight by your doctor. The usual dose of 40 milligrams (mg) per kilogram of body weight of sulfamethoxazole and 8 milligrams (mg) per kilogram of body weight of trimethoprim can be given in two divided doses every 12 hours for 10 days.
• Infants younger than 2 months of age: use is not recommended.

For treatment of pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci or Pneumocystis carinii:

• Adults and children 2 months of age and older: dose is calculated based on body weight by your doctor. The usual dose of 75 to 100 milligrams (mg) per kilogram of body weight of sulfamethoxazole and 15 to 20 milligrams (mg) per kilogram of body weight of trimethoprim each day can be given in equally divided doses every 6 hours for 14 to 21 days.
• Children younger than 2 months of age: use is not recommended.

For prevention of pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci or Pneumocystis carinii:

• Children 2 months of age and older: dose is calculated based on body weight and body surface by your doctor. The usual dose of 750 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 150 mg of trimethoprim per square meter (m²) of body surface each day can be given in equally divided doses two times a day for 3 days a week on consecutive days (for example, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday). The maximum dose is usually not more than 1600 mg of sulfamethoxazole and 320 mg of trimethoprim per day.
• Children younger than 2 months of age: use is not recommended.

For traveler’s diarrhea:

• Children 2 months of age and older: use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
• Children younger than 2 months of age: use is not recommended.

How is abacin available?

Abacin is available in the following dosage forms and strengths:

• Tablet: Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim 800 mg/40 mg; sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim 800 mg/160 mg
• Suspension: Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim 200 mg/ 40 mg per 5 ml; Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim 80 (mg/ml)/ 40 (mg/ml)

What should I do in case of an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or an overdose, call your local emergency services or go to your nearest emergency room.

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you miss a dose of abacin, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your regular dose as scheduled. Do not take a double dose.