Author: Charles Frank

Clindamycin HCl Oral: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Pictures, Warnings & Dosing

Call your doctor right away if you have a rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you or your child are using this medicine. Clindamycin does pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in the nursing baby. If you are breastfeeding while taking this medicine, call your doctor if your baby has diaper rash, redness or white patches in the mouth or throat, stomach discomfort, or diarrhea that is watery or bloody. Let your doctor know if you are breastfeeding before taking clindamycin.

The recommendation is to measure serum electrolytes in patients with vomiting and/or diarrhea. Vital signs need to be monitored along with CBC with differential, platelets, LFTs, and renal function in symptomatic patients. It is also essential to get an ECG and maintain continuous cardiac monitoring as cardiac arrhythmias, although rare, may occur. Difficile toxin will be needed when colitis is suspected.

Side effects

This helps reduce the resistance that bacteria can develop to clindamycin. It works to treat bacterial infections when penicillin is not an option. A doctor may recommend clindamycin for certain respiratory infections, lung infections, blood poisoning, and more. This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

When serious side effects occur, they tend to affect people taking oral or injectable forms of clindamycin. However, they can also arise in people using topical forms. If a person develops CDAD while taking clindamycin, the doctor will immediately stop their treatment with the antibiotic.

Dosage for injectable clindamycin

This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Data sources include Micromedex (updated 3 Mar 2024), Cerner Multum™ (updated 4 Mar 2024), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2024) and others. Other drugs may interact with clindamycin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using. Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms quickly improve. Skipping doses can increase your risk of infection that is resistant to medication.

1. If your symptoms do not improve or if they get worse, call your doctor.
2. Clindamycin dosage modification may not be necessary inpatients with renal disease.
3. Clindamycin hydrochloride is the hydrated hydrochloride salt of clindamycin.
4. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine.

Contact your care team right away if you notice fevers or flu-like symptoms with a rash. The rash may be red or purple and then turn into blisters or peeling of the skin. Or, you might notice a red rash with swelling of the face, lips or lymph nodes in your neck or under your arms. Take this medication by mouth with a full glass of water. You can take this medication with food or on an empty stomach. If the medication upsets your stomach, take it with food.

CDAD must be considered in all patients who present with diarrhea following antibiotic use. Careful medical history is necessary since CDAD has been reported to occur over two months after the administration of antibacterial agents. Clindamycin is a widely prescribed drug by many healthcare professionals, including the nurse practitioner, primary care provider, internist, infectious disease consultant, and emergency department physician. All healthcare workers who prescribe this agent should monitor the patient for changes in bowel frequency, colitis, and resolution of symptoms.

What is this medication?

Clindamycin can cause diarrhea, which may be severe or lead to serious, life-threatening intestinal problems. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. If you have diarrhea that is watery or bloody, stop using this medicine and call your doctor. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital.

These reports should aid the physician in selectingan antibacterial drug for treatment. One of the most common side effects of many antibiotics is diarrhea. Sometimes, people experience severe diarrhea when taking clindamycin. Doctors use clindamycin to treat a variety of bacterial infections. They prescribe it when they cannot use penicillin and when they have determined the type of bacteria involved in the infection.

Administration

Difficile, and surgical evaluation should beinstituted as clinically indicated. If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, ongoing antibiotic use not directed against C. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte management, protein supplementation, antibiotic treatment of C. Difficile, and surgical evaluation should be instituted as clinically indicated.

Depending on the type of infection and the dosage of clindamycin, the drug can either kill or stop the growth of bacteria. This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another infection unless your doctor tells you to. For the best effect, take this antibiotic at evenly spaced times. To help you remember, take this medication at the same time(s) every day. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment.

Serum level studies with a 150 mg oral dose ofclindamycin hydrochloride in 24 normal adult volunteers showed that clindamycinwas rapidly absorbed after oral administration. An average peak serum level of2.50 mcg/mL was reached in 45 minutes; serum levels averaged 1.51 mcg/mL at 3hours and 0.70 mcg/mL at 6 hours. Serum level studies following multipledoses of CLEOCIN HCl for up to 14 days show no evidence of accumulation oraltered metabolism of drug. Doses of up to 2 grams of clindamycin per day for14 days have been well tolerated by healthy volunteers, except that theincidence of gastrointestinal side effects is greater with the higher doses. Difficile produces toxins A and B, whichcontribute to the development of CDAD.

The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.