Ciproted Special Precautions

The use of ciprofloxacin should be avoided in patients who have experienced serious adverse reactions in the past when using quinolone or fluoroquinolone containing products. Treatment of these patients with ciprofloxacin should only be initiated in the absence of alternative treatment options and after careful benefit/risk assessment.
Prolonged, disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse drug reactions.
Very rare cases of prolonged (continuing months or years), disabling and potentially irreversible serious adverse drug reactions affecting different, sometimes multiple, body systems (musculoskeletal, nervous, psychiatric and senses) have been reported in patients receiving quinolones and fluoroquinolones irrespective of their age and pre-existing risk factors. Ciprofloxacin should be discontinued immediately at the first signs or symptoms of any adverse reaction and patients should be advised to contact their prescriber for advice.
Severe infections and mixed infections with Gram-positive and anaerobic pathogens.
Ciprofloxacin monotherapy is not suited for treatment of severe infections and infections that might be due to Gram-positive or anaerobic pathogens. In such infections ciprofloxacin must be coadministered with other appropriate antibacterial agents.
Streptococcal Infections (including Streptococcus pneumonia).
Ciprofloxacin is not recommended for the treatment of streptococcal infections due to inadequate efficacy.
Genital tract infections: Gonococcal urethritis, cervicitis, epididymo-orchitis and pelvic inflammatory disease may be caused by fluoroquinolones-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates.
Therefore, ciprofloxacin should be administered for the treatment of gonococcal urethritis or cervicitis only if ciprofloxacin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae can be excluded.
For epididymo-orchitis and pelvic inflammatory diseases, empirical ciprofloxacin should only be considered in combination with another appropriate antibacterial agent (e.g. a cephalosporin) unless ciprofloxacin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae can be excluded. If clinical improvement is not achieved after 3 days of treatment, the therapy should be reconsidered.
Urinary tract infections: Resistance to fluoroquinolones of Escherichia coli - the most common pathogen involved in urinary tract infections - varies across the European Union. Prescribers are advised to take into account the local prevalence of resistance in Escherichia coli to fluoroquinolones.
The single dose of ciprofloxacin that may be used in uncomplicated cystitis in pre-menopausal women is expected to be associated with lower efficacy than the longer treatment duration. This is all the more to be taken into account as regards the increasing resistance level of Escherichia coli to quinolones.
Intra-abdominal infections: There are limited data on the efficacy of ciprofloxacin in the treatment of post-surgical intra-abdominal infections.
Travelers' diarrhea: The choice of ciprofloxacin should take into account information on resistance to ciprofloxacin in relevant pathogens in the countries visited.
Infections of the bones and joints: Ciprofloxacin should be used in combination with other antimicrobial agents depending on the results of the microbiological documentation.
Inhalational anthrax: Use in humans is based on in-vitro susceptibility data and on animal experimental data together with limited human data. Treating physicians should refer to national and/or international consensus documents regarding the treatment of anthrax.
Broncho-pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis: Clinical trials have included children and adolescents aged 5-17 years. More limited experience is available in treating children between 1 and 5 years of age.
Complicated urinary tract infections and pyelonephritis: Ciprofloxacin treatment of urinary tract infections should be considered when other treatments cannot be used, and should be based in the results of the microbiological documentation. Clinical trials have included children and adolescents aged 1-17 years.
Other specific severe infections: Other severe infections in accordance with official guidelines, or after careful benefit-risk evaluation when other treatments cannot be used, or after failure to conventional therapy and when the microbiological documentation can justify a ciprofloxacin use.
The use of ciprofloxacin for specific severe infections other than those mentioned previously has not been evaluated in clinical trials and the clinical experience is limited. Consequently, caution is advised when treating patients with these infections.
Hypersensitivity: Hypersensitivity and allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis and anaphylactoid reactions, may occur following a single dose and may be life-threatening. If such reaction occurs, ciprofloxacin should be discontinued and an adequate medical treatment required.
Tendinitis and tendon rupture: Ciprofloxacin should generally not be used in patients with a history of tendon disease/disorder related to quinolone treatment. Nevertheless, in very rare instances, after microbiological documentation of the causative organism and evaluation of the risk/benefit balance, ciprofloxacin may be prescribed to these patients for the treatment of certain severe infections, particularly in the event of failure of the standard therapy or bacterial resistance, where microbiological data may justify the use of ciprofloxacin.
Tendinitis and tendon rupture (especially but not limited to Achilles tendon), sometimes bilateral, may occur as early as within 48 hours of starting treatment with quinolones and fluoroquinolones and have been reported to occur even up to several months after discontinuation of treatment. The risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture is increased in older patients, patients with renal impairment, patients with solid organ transplants, and those treated concurrently with corticosteroids. Therefore, concomitant use of corticosteroids should be avoided.
At the first sign of tendinitis (e.g. painful swelling, inflammation), the treatment with ciprofloxacin should be discontinued and alternative treatment should be considered. The affected limb(s) should be appropriately treated (e.g. immobilisation). Corticosteroids should not be used if signs of tendinopathy occur.
Ciprofloxacin should be used with caution in patients with myasthenia gravis because symptoms can be exacerbated.
Photosensitivity: Ciprofloxacin has been shown to cause photosensitivity reactions. Patients taking ciprofloxacin should be advised to avoid direct exposure to either extensive sunlight or UV irradiation during treatment.
Central Nervous System: Ciprofloxacin like other quinolones are known to trigger seizures or lower the seizure threshold. Cases of status epilepticus have been reported. Ciprofloxacin should be used with caution in patients with CNS disorders which may be predisposed to seizure. If seizures occur ciprofloxacin should be discontinued. Psychiatric reactions may occur even after the first administration of ciprofloxacin. In rare cases, depression or psychosis can progress to suicidal ideations/thoughts culminating in attempted suicide or completed suicide. In the occurrence of such cases, ciprofloxacin should be discontinued.
Peripheral neuropathy: Cases of sensory or sensorimotor polyneuropathy resulting in paraesthesia, hypaesthesia, dysesthesia, or weakness have been reported in patients receiving quinolones and fluoroquinolones. Patients under treatment with ciprofloxacin should be advised to inform their doctor prior to continuing treatment if symptoms of neuropathy such as pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or weakness develop in order to prevent the development of potentially irreversible condition.
Cardiac disorders: Caution should be taken when using fluoroquinolones including ciprofloxacin, in patients with known risk factors for prolongation of the QT interval such as, for example: congenital long QT syndrome; concomitant use of drugs that are known to prolong the QT interval (e.g. Class IA and III anti-arrhythmics, tricyclic antidepressants, macrolides, antipsychotics); uncorrected electrolyte imbalance (e.g. hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia); cardiac disease (e.g. heart failure, myocardial infarction, bradycardia).
Elderly patients and women may be more sensitive to QTc-prolonging medications. Therefore caution should be taken when using fluoroquinolones, including ciprofloxacin, in these populations.
Aortic aneurysm and dissection, and heart valve regurgitation/incompetence: Epidemiologic studies report an increased risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection, particularly in elderly patients, and of aortic and mitral valve regurgitation after intake of fluoroquinolones. Cases of aortic aneurysm and dissection, sometimes complicated by rupture (including fatal ones), and of regurgitation/incompetence of any of the heart valves have been reported in patients receiving fluoroquinolones.
Therefore, fluoroquinolones should only be used after careful benefit-risk assessment and after consideration of other therapeutic options in patients with positive family history of aneurysm disease or congenital heart valve disease, or in patients diagnosed with pre-existing aortic aneurysm and/or aortic dissection or heart valve disease, or in presence of other risk factors or conditions predisposing.
For both aortic aneurysm and dissection and heart valve regurgitation/incompetence (e.g. connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Turner syndrome, Behcet's disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis) or additionally; for heart valve regurgitation/incompetence (e.g. infective endocarditis).
The risk of aortic aneurysm and dissection, and their rupture may also be increased in patients treated concurrently with systemic corticosteroids.
In case of sudden abdominal, chest or back pain, patients should be advised to immediately consult a physician in an emergency department.
Patients should be advised to seek immediate medical attention in case of acute dyspnea, new onset of heart palpitations, or development of edema of the abdomen or lower extremities.
Dysglycemia: As with other quinolones, disturbances in blood glucose, including both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia have been reported, usually in diabetic patients receiving concomitant treatment with an oral hypoglycemic agent (e.g. glibenclamide) or with insulin. Cases of hypoglycemic coma have been reported. In diabetic patients, careful monitoring of blood glucose is recommended.
Gastrointestinal System: The occurrence of severe and persistent diarrhea during or after treatment (including several weeks after treatment) may indicate an antibiotic-associated colitis (life-threatening with possible fatal outcome), requiring immediate treatment. In such cases, ciprofloxacin should immediately be discontinued, and an appropriate therapy initiated. Anti-peristaltic drugs are contraindicated in this situation.
Renal and urinary system: Crystalluria related to the use of ciprofloxacin has been reported. Patients receiving ciprofloxacin should be well hydrated and excessive alkalinity of the urine should be avoided.
Impaired renal function: Since ciprofloxacin is largely excreted unchanged via renal pathway dose adjustment is needed in patients with impaired renal function to avoid an increase in adverse drug reactions due to accumulation of ciprofloxacin.
Hepatobiliary system: Cases of hepatic necrosis and life-threatening hepatic failure have been reported with ciprofloxacin. In the event of any signs and symptoms of hepatic disease (such as anorexia, jaundice, dark urine, pruritus or tender abdomen), treatment should be discontinued.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: Hemolytic reactions have been reported with ciprofloxacin in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Ciprofloxacin should be avoided in these patients unless the potential benefit is considered to outweigh the possible risk. In this case, potential occurrence of haemolysis should be monitored.
Resistance: During or following a course of treatment with ciprofloxacin bacteria that demonstrate resistance to ciprofloxacin may be isolated, with or without a clinically apparent superinfection. There may be a particular risk of selecting for ciprofloxacin-resistant bacteria during extended durations of treatment and when treating nosocomial infections and/or infections caused by Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas species.
Cytochrome P450: Ciprofloxacin inhibits CYP1A2 and thus may cause increased serum concentration of concomitantly administered substances metabolized by this enzyme (e.g. theophylline, clozapine, olanzapine ropinirole, tizanidine, duloxetine, agomelatine). Co-administration of ciprofloxacin and tizanidine is contraindicated. Therefore patients taking these substances concomitantly with ciprofloxacin should be monitored closely for clinical signs of overdose, and determination of serum concentrations (e.g. of theophylline) may be necessary.
Methotrexate: The concomitant use of ciprofloxacin with methotrexate is not recommended.
Interaction with tests: The in-vitro activity of ciprofloxacin against Mycobacterium tuberculosis might give false negative bacteriological test results in specimens from patients currently taking ciprofloxacin.
Vision disorders: If vision becomes impaired or any effects on the eyes are experienced, an eye specialist should be consulted immediately.
Use in Children: The use of ciprofloxacin in children and adolescents should follow available official guidance. Ciprofloxacin treatment should be initiated only by physicians who are experienced in the treatment of cystic fibrosis and/or severe infections in children and adolescents.
Ciprofloxacin has been shown to cause arthropathy in weight-bearing joints of immature animals. Safety data from a randomised double-blind study on ciprofloxacin use in children (ciprofloxacin: n=335, mean age=6.3 years; comparators: n=349, mean age=6.2 years; age range=1 to 17 years) revealed an incidence of suspected drug-related arthropathy (discerned from joint-related clinical signs and symptoms) by Day +42 of 7.2% and 4.6%. Respectively, an incidence of drug-related arthropathy by 1-year follow-up was 9.0% and 5.7%. The increase of suspected drug-related arthropathy cases over time was not statistically significant between groups. Treatment should be initiated only after a careful benefit/risk evaluation, due to possible adverse events related to joints and/or surrounding tissue.