Quinolones, Oral/Sucralfate Interactions

This information is generalized and not intended as specific medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional before taking or discontinuing any drug or commencing any course of treatment.

Medical warning:

Moderate. These medicines may cause some risk when taken together. Contact your healthcare professional (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) for more information.

How the interaction occurs:

When these two medicines are taken together, your body may not absorb your antibiotic properly.

What might happen:

The blood levels of your antibiotic may decrease and reduce the effectiveness of the medicine in treating your infection.

What you should do about this interaction:

Contact your healthcare professionals (e.g. doctor or pharmacist) as soon as possible about taking these medicines together. You may need to modify your medicine schedule to take your antibiotic at least 2 hours before sucralfate. They may already be aware of this drug interaction and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

View Reference
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  • 2.Parpia SH, Nix DE, Hejmanowski LG, Goldstein HR, Wilton JH, Schentag JJ. Sucralfate reduces the gastrointestinal absorption of norfloxacin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1989 Jan;33(1):99-102.
  • 3.Grasela TH Jr, Schentag JJ, Sedman AJ, Wilton JH, Thomas DJ, Schultz RW, Lebsack ME, Kinkel AW. Inhibition of enoxacin absorption by antacids or ranitidine. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1989 May;33(5):615-7.
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  • 5.Yuk JH, Nightingale CN, Quintiliani R. Ciprofloxacin levels when receiving sucralfate. JAMA 1989 Aug 18;262(7):901.
  • 6.Brouwers JRBJ, Van der Kam HJ, Sijtsma J, Proost JH. Important reduction of ciprofloxacin absorption by sucralfate and magnesium citrate solution. Drug Invest 1990;2(3):197-9.
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  • 12.Lehto P, Kivisto KT. Different effects of products containing metal ions on the absorption of lomefloxacin. Clin Pharmacol Ther 1994 Nov; 56(5):477-82.
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  • 14.Factive (gemifloxacin mesylate) US prescribing information. Merus Labs International, Inc. October, 2018.
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CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.