Classes
DEA Class; Rx
Common Brand Names; Xifaxan
- Antibiotics, Other;
- Antidiarrheals
Description
Oral, non-systemically absorbed rifamycin antibiotic
Approved to treat traveler’s diarrhea (due to non-invasive strains of Escherichia coli), to reduce risk of hepatic encephalopathy recurrence, and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D)
No significant drug interactions since not systemically absorbed
Indications
Indicated for travelers’ diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli (E coli)
Indicated for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) in adult men and women
Limitations of use: Not indicated or shown effective in patients with traveler’s diarrhea complicated by fever or bloody stool or due to pathogens other than non-invasive strains of E coli
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to rifamycin antibiotics
Adverse Effects
- Flatulence (11%)
- Headache (10%)
- Rectal tenesmus (7%)
- Abdominal pain (7%)
- Defecation urgency (6%)
- Nausea (5%)
- Constipation (4%)
- Pyrexia (3%)
- Vomiting (2%)
Warnings
Not effective in diarrhea complicated by fever, hematochezia, or diarrhea due to pathogens other than Escherichia coli
Not effective against traveler’s diarrhea due to Campylobacter jejuni
Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea has been reported
Efficacy against traveler’s diarrhea due to Shigella spp and Salmonella spp not proven
Discontinue if symptoms worsen or persist >24-48 hr
Possibility of pseudomembranous colitis
Monitor patients with severe hepatic impairment for increased systemic exposure
Coadministration with P-gp inhibitors substantially increases systemic exposure to rifaximin; coadministration of cyclosporine with rifaximin resulted in 83-fold and 124-fold increases in rifaximin mean Cmax and AUC in healthy subjects
Pregnancy and Lactation
Pregnancy category: C
Lactation: Do not use if nursing or do not nurse
Maximum Dosage
600 mg/day PO for traveler’s diarrhea; 1100 mg/day PO for hepatic encephalopathy; 1650 mg/day for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.
600 mg/day PO for traveler’s diarrhea; 1100 mg/day PO for hepatic encephalopathy; 1650 mg/day for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.
600 mg/day PO for traveler’s diarrhea.
>= 12 years: 600 mg/day PO for traveler’s diarrhea.
< 12 years: Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Safety and efficacy have not been established.
Safety and efficacy have not been established.
How supplied
Rifaximin
tablet
- 200mg
- 550mg