Rifamycin is an antibacterial agent used for the treatment of travelers’ diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli among adults.
Rifamycin is prescribed for the treatment of travelers’ diarrhea in adults.
Rifamycin is contraindicated in patients with: • Allergy to Rifamycin or related antibiotics like rifaximin or any of the components in Rifamycin.
• Not used for diarrhea with fever or bloody stool
• Diarrhea due to pathogens other than non-invasive strains of E. coli.
Dosage : Rifamycin is available as delayed-release tablets containing 194 mg rifamycin to be used for travelers’ diarrhea.
1. The recommended dose of rifamycin is 388 mg (two tablets) twice daily for three days orally with a glass of liquid with or without food.
2. Do not crush, break or chew the tablets.
3. Do not take rifamycin with alcohol.
• Discontinue rifamycin if diarrhea gets worse or persists for more than 2 days.
• Inform patients that diarrhea can also be caused by antibacterial drugs, which usually ends when that particular drug is discontinued, for which rifamycin may not be effective.
• Rifamycin should only be used to treat bacterial infections, not for viral infections like common cold.
• If rifamycin dose is skipped or full course is not completed, effectiveness of treatment may be reduced and resistance could be developed.
• Gastrointestinal: Constipation, Abdominal pain, dyspepsia
• Nervous system: Headache
• Pregnant women are informed of the potential risk to a fetus.
• The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for rifamycin.
• The safety and effectiveness of rifamycin were not evaluated in patients less than 18 years of age with travelers’ diarrhea.
Store rifamycin tablets at 20° to 25°C.