Metronidazole STELLA 400 mg

Rx

Indications

• Treatment of susceptible protozoal infections such as trichomoniasis, amoebiasis, balantidiasis, Blastocystis hominis infections, giardiasis, dracunculiasis.
• Treatment and prophylaxis of anaerobic bacterial infections. Specific bacterial infections include bacterial vaginosis, acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis, pelvic inflammatory disease and antibiotic-associated colitis.
• Eradicate Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcer disease (in combination with other drugs).
• Colonic Crohn’s disease.

Dosage

• Trichomoniasis:
  A single 2-g dose or a 2-day course of 800 mg in the morning and 1.2 g in the evening or a 7-day course of 600 mg to 1 g daily in two or three divided doses. Sexual partners should also be treated.
• Amoebiasis, balantidiasis and Blastocystis hominis infections:
  Adults: 400 – 800 mg three times daily for 5 – 10 days or 1.5 – 2.5 g as a single daily dose for 2 or 3 days.
  Children: 7 – 10 years old: ½ the total adult daily dose. 1 year old and older: 35 – 50 mg/kg daily in 3 divided doses.
• Giardiasis:
  Adults: 2 g once daily for 3 successive days, or 400 mg three times daily for 5 days.
  Children: 15 mg/kg daily in 3 divided doses.
• Dracunculiasis:
  400 mg three times daily for 5 days, or 40 mg/kg daily in 3 divided doses (to a maximum daily dose of 2.4 g) for 3 days or 400 mg daily for 10 to 20 days, or 25 mg/kg daily for 10 days.
• Anaerobic bacterial infections:
  Initial dose of 800 mg followed by 400 mg every 8 hours, usually for about 7 days.
• Prevention of postoperative anaerobic bacterial infections:
  400 mg every 8 hours in the 24 hours before surgery, followed postoperatively by intravenous or rectal administration until oral therapy is possible (200 mg or 400 mg every 8 hours).
• Bacterial vaginosis:
  A single 2-g dose or a 5 to 7-day course of 400 mg twice daily.
• Acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis:
  200 mg three times daily for 3 days; similar doses are used in acute dental infections.
• Pelvic inflammatory disease:
  500 mg twice daily in conjunction with ofloxacin given orally in a dosage of 400 mg twice daily; therapy should be continued for 14 days.
• Helicobacter pylori-associated peptic ulcer disease:
  400 mg three times daily in combination with at least one other agent that has activity against Helicobacter pylori (e.g., bismuth subsalicylate, amoxicillin…) for 1 – 2 weeks.
• Colonic Crohn’s disease:
  400 mg twice daily. It is usually given for 3 months.

Usage: 

• Metronidazole STELLA 400 mg is administered orally. It’s taken with or after food.

• Patients with known hypersensitivity to metronidazole or other nitroimidazole derivatives or any ingredient of the drug.
• The first trimester of pregnancy.

Common

• Nausea, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and unpleasant metallic taste.

• Mild disulfiram – like reactions including flushing, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and sweating.
• Clinical and laboratory monitoring is advised if treatment exceeds 10 days.
• Used with caution and in reduced dosage in patients with severe hepatic impairment. Plasma concentration of metronidazole should be monitored in such patients.
• Patients with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, total lactase deficiency or glucose – galactose malabsorption should not take this medicine.
• Pregnancy/ lactation: Only use when clearly needed.
• Patients should be aware of how they react to drug before driving or operating machinery.