Consumer Medicine Information
Aspen Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion
Ciprofloxacin (Sip-roe-FLOX-a-sin)
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about being given this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
What Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion is used for
This medicine is used to treat:
- lung infections
- infections of skin
- infections of bone and joints
- kidney and bladder infections
- infections in the blood
- inhalation of anthrax (post-exposure)
This medicine belongs to a group of medicines called fluoroquinolones.
It works by killing many kinds of bacteria which cause infections in the body.
Ciprofloxacin will not work against infections caused by viruses such as cold and flu.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is not addictive.
It is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Before you are given Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion
When you must not be given it
You must not be given ciprofloxacin if you have an allergy to:
- any medicine containing ciprofloxacin
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
- any other quinolone antibiotics such as grepafloxacin, moxifloxacin, nalidixic acid or norfloxacin
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin.
You must not be given this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or
shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you are given it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
- epilepsy or seizures or fits
- myasthenia gravis (a condition of extremely weak muscles)
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- diarrhoea
- decreased blood flow to parts of the brain (stroke)
- inflammation or rupture of tendons
- sensitivity of the skin to sunlight
- diabetes mellitus.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
The use of this medicine in infants, children or growing teenagers is not recommended since fluoroquinolones have been shown to cause bone development problems in young animals. However, your doctor may choose to use this medicine if other medicines cannot be used.
Tell your doctor if you are elderly or have previously taken corticosteroids such as prednisolone or cortisone.
You may be at increased risk of swelling of the tendons. Symptoms include pain, tenderness and sometimes restricted
movement.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given ciprofloxacin.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a
prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and ciprofloxacin may interfere with each other. These include:
- theophylline, a medicine used to treat asthma
- glibenclamide, a medicine used to treat diabetes
- cyclosporin, an immunosuppressant
- warfarin, a medicine used to stop the clotting of blood
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), that are used for pain and inflammation
- probenecid, a medicine used for gout
- caffeine found in coffee, cola and some medications
- methotrexate, a medicine used to treat certain types of cancers, severe psoriasis and severe rheumatoid arthritis.
These medicines may be affected by ciprofloxacin or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while being treated with this medicine.
How Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion is given
How much is given
Your doctor will decide what dose you will receive. This depends on your condition and other factors, such as your weight.
How it is given
Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion is given as a slow infusion into a vein. It must only be given by a nurse or doctor.
If you receive too much (overdose)
As Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion is given to you in a hospital under the supervision of your doctor, it is very unlikely that you will receive an overdose. However if you experience severe side effects tell your doctor immediately.
Symptoms of an overdose may include the side effects listed below in the 'Side Effects' section but are usually of a more severe nature.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns.
While you are being given Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are being given Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are being given this medicine.
If you get severe diarrhoea, tell your doctor or nurse immediately. Do this even if it occurs several
weeks after ciprofloxacin has been stopped. Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your
doctor.
Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are being given this medicine.
It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you become pregnant while you are being treated with this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Your doctor may do some tests from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent unwanted side
effects.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how ciprofloxacin affects you.
This medicine may cause dizziness, light-headedness, tiredness, drowsiness in some people. If you have any of these
symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous.
Be careful when drinking alcohol while you are being given this medicine.
If you drink alcohol, dizziness or light-headedness may be worse.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being treated with
ciprofloxacin.
This medicine helps most people with infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines
can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if
you get some of the side effects.
If you are over 65 years of age you may have an increased chance of getting side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- nausea or vomiting
- mild diarrhoea
- heartburn or mild abdominal pain
- agitation or restlessness
- headache
- pain, swelling, redness or tenderness at site of injection
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine.
Tell your doctor or nurse or pharmacist as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
- dizziness or light headedness
- tremor or weakness
- rash or itchiness
- vaginal itching or discharge
- sore white mouth or tongue
- fever
- altered vision
- confusion
- difficulty walking
- dry mouth
- difficulty in swallowing
- flatulence
- constipation
- loss of appetite
- nightmares
- tremors
The above list includes serious side effects which may require medical attention.
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor or nurse immediately, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
- inflamed, painful or ruptured joints or tendons such as the Achilles tendon
- severe watery or bloody diarrhoea, even if it occurs several weeks after you have stopped taking this medicine
- severe stomach cramps
- severe skin rashes
- palpitations or fast or irregular heart beats
- chest pain or angina
- swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat
- dark coloured urine
- yellowing of the skin or eyes, also called jaundice
- hallucinations
- fits (convulsions or seizures)
- difficulty breathing
- getting sunburnt very easily
- signs of an allergic reaction such as shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare.
Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion
Storage
Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion will be stored in the pharmacy or on the ward. The injection is kept in a cool dry place, protected from light where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Product description
What it looks like
Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion is a clear colourless to slightly yellow solution in an infusion bag. It is available as packs of 10 infusion bags containing 100 mg/ 50 mL and 200 mg/ 100 mL of ciprofloxacin (as lactate).
Ingredients
Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion contains 2 mg/mL of ciprofloxacin (as lactate) as the active ingredient. It also contains:
- glucose
- lactic acid
- water for injection
This medicine does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
Supplier
Aspen Pharmacare Australia Pty Ltd
34-36 Chandos St
St Leonards NSW 2065
Australia
This leaflet was revised in May 2006
AUST R number(s):
Ciprofloxacin Injection for Intravenous Infusion.
- 100 mg/50 mL - AUSTR 114731
- 200 mg/100 mL - AUSTR 114735