Bactrim Generic 800/160mg for Infections (UTI)

Generic Bactrim is a medication used to treat infections in the respiratory tract, urinary tract, and digestive tract. It is a combination drug containing two active ingredients, sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, which both have an antimicrobial effect by inhibiting the activity of certain bacterial enzymes. The combination of these two ingredients has a stronger bactericidal effect than each substance individually.

In the past, all infections were treated solely with antibiotics, which was dangerous for human health as antibiotics not only killed bacteria and infections but also the healthy human flora, resulting in damage to most internal organs and systems, often requiring additional therapy to recover from the antibiotic treatment.

Today, pharmaceutical companies have introduced antibacterial drugs, such as Bactrim, which are not antibiotics and do not have the adverse consequences associated with traditional antibiotics. Bactrim is one of the popular and widely used antibacterial drugs in the world. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the drug.

Overview

Bactrim is a chemotherapeutic antibacterial medication that contains two active ingredients: Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim. The combination of these two components provides a high level of inhibitory activity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including those that are resistant to sulfanilamides. The antibacterial effect of Bactrim is achieved through its dual action on bacteria metabolism. Sulfamethoxazole interferes with the biosynthesis of dihydrofolic acid, while Trimethoprim blocks the subsequent metabolic step, which involves the transfer of dihydrofolic acid into tetrahydrofolic acid, which is necessary for bacterial growth.

Some people consider Bactrim to be an antibiotic, but this is not accurate. Bactrim belongs to the group of sulfanilamides. Like antibiotics, Bactrim has an antibacterial action, but it is characterized by its chemical, rather than natural or semi-synthetic, structure, which distinguishes it from antibiotics.

Therapeutic forms

Bactrim is available in both oral suspension and pill form. The oral suspension contains 200 mg of Sulfamethoxazole and 40 mg of Trimethoprim. The suspension is packaged in 50 ml and 100 ml bottles, with a measuring spoon included.

The pill form of Bactrim, known as Bactrim Forte, contains 800 mg of Sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of Trimethoprim. Bactrim Forte is sold in packs of 10, 20, and 50 pills.

Both Bactrim Forte and Bactrim suspension are used for similar conditions (refer to the “Uses of Bactrim” section), but Bactrim Forte should not be used in children under 12 years old.

Uses of Bactrim Generic

Bactrim in both therapeutic forms is designed for the treatment of the following disorders:

• Respiratory diseases: multiple bronchiectasis, croupous pneumonia, pneumocyctic pneumonia, bronchitis (chronic and acute), bronchial pneumonia;
• Genitourinary diseases: urethritis, pyelitis, cystitis, pyelonephritis, lymphogranuloma venereum, epididymite, prostatitis, gonorrhea (both sexes), soft chancre, venereal granuloma;
• ENT diseases: sinusitis, angina, otitis media, scarlet fever, laryngitis;
• Gastrointestinal diseases: paratyphoid, typhoid, cholangitis, Salmonella, dysentery, cholera, cholecystitis, gastroenteritis caused by enterotoxic strains of Escherichia coli.
• Skin diseases: furunculosis, pyodermatitis, acne, wound infections;
• Other disorders: osteomyelitis (chronic and acute) and other osteoarticular infectious pathologies, acute brucellosis, malaria (Plasmodium falciparum), paracoccidioidomycosis, toxoplasmosis (as a part of the complex therapy).

What is Generic Bactrim?

Bactrim is an FDA-approved medication. Some of its generic versions also have FDA approval. Generic Bactrim comes in two variations of active ingredient content: single strength, which contains 400 mg of Sulfamethoxazole and 80 mg of Trimethoprim, and double strength, which contains 800 mg of Sulfamethoxazole and 160 mg of Trimethoprim. Bactrim is manufactured by several pharmaceutical companies located in the United States, Israel, and Japan.

Below there is a list of the most popular generics of Bactrim:

• The drug is offered in the form of oral tablet. The active ingredient content makes up 400 mg of Sulfamethoxazole and 80 mg of Trimethoprim. Approved in 1982. Produced by the independent Jamaican pharmaceutical company.
• Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim. The therapeutic form is oral tablet with 400 mg of Sulfamethoxazole and 80 mg of Trimethoprim. The medication is produced both in the USA and in other countries.

All the generics of Bactrim have undergone necessary tests and analyses and are recognized to be equivalent to the branded product. However generic Bactrim is allowed to contain other inactive elements that may differ from the original medication. This thing may cause problems for patients with hypersensitivity and tendency to allergies. So, it is necessary to study the content of the medication before use.

Doses: 400/80mg, 800/160mg

Bactrim ought to be taken every morning and evening. The typical adult dosage of Bactrim consists of 20 ml of suspension. For patients undergoing extended therapy, it is advised to consume 10 ml of Bactrim in the morning and evening. In severe instances, the daily dosage can be increased to 30 ml twice a day.

Bactrim may be prescribed as a single dose, for instance, for women experiencing uncomplicated urinary infections. In such cases, the one-time dosage of Bactrim may range from 40 to 60 ml.

Certain conditions necessitate short-term therapy lasting several days to two weeks. In other situations, it is crucial to determine the Bactrim dosage based on the patient’s weight (e.g., for pneumonia treatment).

Long-term treatment with Bactrim can extend from 3 months to 1.5 years in cases of nocardiasis. In this scenario, the daily dosage of Bactrim amounts to 60-80 ml.

Pediatric doses

The pediatric dosage of Bactrim varies based on the child’s age and weight. Newborns (from 3 to 5 months) should be given 2.5 ml of Bactrim suspension twice a day, in the morning and evening. Children between 6 months and 5 years can take 5 ml every morning and evening. For children aged 6-12 years, it is recommended to administer 10 ml of Bactrim oral suspension. Patients with severe conditions may be prescribed higher dosages, but only after consulting a doctor and with careful consideration.

Contraindications

Bactrim is not recommended for patients with liver and kidney issues, such as severe liver damage and kidney failure. Various blood disorders, including aplastic anemia, megaloblastic anemia, agranulocytosis, and leukopenia, also warrant avoiding Bactrim therapy. Bactrim suspension is not prescribed for newborns (under 3 months) and children with hyperbilirubinemia. It is crucial to exercise caution and maintain consistent monitoring when administering the medication to patients with folic acid deficiency, bronchial asthma, thyroid gland disorders, and porphyria.

Side effects

When used as directed, Bactrim seldom results in undesirable side effects. The most common side effects involve skin rash and gastrointestinal issues. Other side effects are much less frequent, but it is important to describe them to prevent adverse outcomes.

Some skin side effects may occur during Bactrim treatment and typically disappear once the patient stops taking the medication. These side effects include photosensitivity, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis (Lyell’s syndrome), Henoch-Schonlein purpura, and DRESS syndrome.

Rare gastrointestinal side effects may include nausea (with or without vomiting), stomatitis, glossitis, diarrhea, hepatic necrosis, occasional cases of hepatitis and cholestasis, and elevated bilirubin levels. Acute pancreatitis has been reported in rare instances among patients with severe health conditions, such as AIDS.

The following side effects occur in 0.01% cases:

• Blood system: leukopenia, megaloblastic, hemolytic, aplastic or autoimmune anemia, agranulemia, purpura, methemoglobinemia;
• Kidney and urinary tract: deterioration of kidney function, interstitial nephritis, increase of blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine, crystals in urine;
• Increased diuresis especially in patients suffering from cardiogenic edema;
• Nervous system: neuropathy including peripheral neuritis and paresthesia, hallucinations, very rare cases of ataxia, spasmodic strictures, vertigo;
• Respiratory system: pulmonary infiltration revealed through cough and shortbreathing;
• Muscular system: myalgia, arthralgia.

In some cases the Bactrim therapy causes the conditions of hyperpotassemia, hyponatremia, and hypoglycemia.

Overdose

Bactrim and alcohol

Doctors recommend that the patients should refrain from drinking alcohol during the therapy with Bactrim. Despite the fact that Bactrim does not refer to the antibiotics group the combination of Bactrim and alcohol may influence negatively the patient’s health state.

Allergic reactions

Patients with hypersensitivity to the components of Bactrim (both active and auxiliary) in the past medical history may suffer from the allergic reactions; high temperature, angioneurotic edema, allergic shock reactions and serum disease are the most common. The rare cases of allergic reactions include pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia. Clinically they may reveal through cough and short breathing. If such symptoms occur suddenly and show rapid development the patient should be examined and the decision to cease the Bactrim therapy should be taken.

Some patients also experienced rare cases of periarteritis nodosa and allergic myocarditis. Cases of fungal infections such as candidosis are also described during the practice of Bactrim therapy.

Bactrim and pregnancy

According to the FDA classification Bactrim has the D category for pregnancy. It means that Bactrim is not recommended for pregnant women.

Bactrim in both medical forms can be used in pregnant women only in case if the benefit for mother exceeds the threat for the baby. Bactrim is not used in women in III trimester.

Bactrim and breastfeeding

Active ingredients of Bactrim penetrate the breast milk and may cause health disorders for the new-born baby. That is why Bactrim is not recommended for the breastfeeding women.

Special notes

The duration of the treatment with Bactrim should be as short as possible in case if the medication is prescribed for the elderly patients. In case of the long-term therapy it is necessary to constantly check the number of formed blood elements. If the number of any of them decreases the therapy should be ceased immediately. Patients suffering from heavy hematologic disorders should be prescribed Bactrim only by way of exception.

Patients suffering from kidney failure and being on the long-tern Bactrim therapy should regularly make the urine tests and control the kidney function. During the therapy such patients should be provided with the sufficient quantity of liquid in order to facilitate diuresis and to avoid crystals in urine.