Drug Interactions between oxytetracycline and Paracetamol

GENERALLY AVOID: Chronic, excessive consumption of alcohol may increase the risk of acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity, which has included rare cases of fatal hepatitis and frank hepatic failure requiring liver transplantation. The proposed mechanism is induction of hepatic microsomal enzymes during chronic alcohol use, which may result in accelerated metabolism of acetaminophen and increased production of potentially hepatotoxic metabolites.

MANAGEMENT: In general, chronic alcoholics should avoid regular or excessive use of acetaminophen. Alternative analgesic/antipyretic therapy may be appropriate in patients who consume three or more alcoholic drinks per day. However, if acetaminophen is used, these patients should be cautioned not to exceed the recommended dosage (maximum 4 g/day in adults and children 12 years of age or older).

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ADJUST DOSING INTERVAL: Administration with food, particularly dairy products, significantly reduces tetracycline absorption. The calcium content of these foods forms nonabsorbable chelates with tetracycline.

MANAGEMENT: Tetracycline should be administered one hour before or two hours after meals.

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GENERALLY AVOID: The bioavailability of oral tetracyclines and iron salts may be significantly decreased during concurrent administration. Therapeutic failure may result. The proposed mechanism is chelation of tetracyclines by the iron cation, forming an insoluble complex that is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. In ten healthy volunteers, simultaneous oral administration of ferrous sulfate 200 mg and single doses of various tetracyclines (200 mg to 500 mg) resulted in reductions in the serum levels of methacycline and doxycycline by 80% to 90%, oxytetracycline by 50% to 60%, and tetracycline by 40% to 50%. In another study, 300 mg of ferrous sulfate reduced the absorption of tetracycline by 81% and that of minocycline by 77%. Conversely, the absorption of iron has been shown to be decreased by up to 78% in healthy subjects and up to 65% in patients with iron depletion when ferrous sulfate 250 mg was administered with tetracycline 500 mg. Available data suggest that administration of iron 3 hours before or 2 hours after a tetracycline largely prevents the interaction with most tetracyclines except doxycycline. Due to extensive enterohepatic cycling, iron binding may occur with doxycycline even when it is given parenterally. It has also been shown that when iron is administered up to 11 hours after doxycycline, serum concentrations of doxycycline may still be reduced by 20% to 45%.

MANAGEMENT: Coadministration of a tetracycline with any iron-containing product should be avoided if possible. Otherwise, patients should be advised to stagger the times of administration by at least three to four hours, although separating the doses may not prevent the interaction with doxycycline.

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