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Concurrent prescribing. Beware of drug interactions
1Department of Infectious Diseases, Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Victoria.
Australian Family Physician
|November 3, 1998
Summary
This review identifies clinically significant antibiotic drug interactions, focusing on common medications like oral contraceptives and warfarin. Quinolones and macrolides pose the highest risk, while most antibiotic interactions with oral contraceptives are minor.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Pharmacy
Background:
- Antibiotics are frequently prescribed alongside other medications.
- Numerous potential drug interactions exist, but few have severe clinical outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review clinically significant antibiotic-drug interactions.
- To assess the incidence and importance of these interactions.
- Focus on interactions with commonly prescribed drugs like oral contraceptives and warfarin.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of antibiotic-drug interactions.
- Analysis of clinical significance and incidence.
- Emphasis on drugs used in general practice.
Main Results:
- Quinolones and macrolides are most frequently linked to significant interactions.
- Warfarin exhibits variable interaction incidence with many antibiotics.
- Most antibiotic-oral contraceptive interactions are not clinically significant, with rare reports.
Conclusions:
- Quinolones and macrolides are key antibiotic classes for drug interaction monitoring.
- Warfarin requires careful consideration due to variable antibiotic interactions.
- Oral contraceptive failure risk with most antibiotics is low.