Oral Antibiotics - Minocycline

Click here to view the A-Detail™ on Minocycline (Minocin®).

Minocycline is a tetracycline antibiotic which is used for acne treatment. It is the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects that are important. If your patient's inflamed pimples do not respond well to topical acne antibiotics or if they have acne on many areas of their body, antibiotics in pill form can be more effective, easier to take and more convenient.

How Do Patients Use This Medication?

This is best taken on an empty stomach, food reduces its absorption by about 10% and milk reduces it by 33%, this drug is not used in a topical form. Minocycline should not be used if one is pregnant or breast-feeding.

How Well Does It Work?

How Does It Work?

This is a bacteriostatic antibiotic, that is, it inhibits the growth of bacteria, it has an anti-inflammatory action which is certainly important when treating conditions like acne. It is used in the following conditions:

Will There Be Side Effects?

As with many other antibiotics, patients may experience indigestion and abdominal upset, dizziness is a side effect that usually settles after a few days. Skin pigmentation, particularly on the face and mucous membranes may occur with chronic use. Children under the age of 8 who are given this drug may see pigmentation of their teeth. However, this is rarely seen in adults.

Rashes are uncommon but when they are seen, such as with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, they can be severe. Benign intracranial hypertension is only seen rarely, symptoms include headaches and blurry vision. However, patients can get headaches without developing this complication. Suppression of bone marrow and kidney toxicity is very rare.

A hypersensitivity reaction to hives, which includes angioedema and joint swelling, has been reported. Drug induced hepatitis and drug induced systemic lupus are rare.

Taking Other Medications?

Which Brands Are Available?

Clindoxyl® Gel

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INTRODUCTION
Clinical experience confirms what has been shown in clinical trials, that Clindoxyl Gel is effective and well tolerated Once daily application of topical that combines two active anti-acne agents may well increase patient compliance... | Read more ...

CLININCAL EXPERIENCE
More than six international studies involving over 6,000 patients have shown reductions in the PASI (Psoriasis Area and Severity Index) of approximately 40% after one week of treatment and 70% after four weeks... | Read more ...

INDICATIONS
Moderate comedonal and papulo-pustular acne Approved in Canada as a once daily topical for moderate Acne in December 2000... | Read more ...

PATIENT PROFILE
Any patient who has inflammatory acne can be treated with Clindoxyl Gel Acne patients with comedones only are best treated by topical retinoids Patients with cystic acne usually require systemic therapy... | Read more ...

DOSING
Once daily application of Clindoxyl Gel is recommended The product needs to be applied to the whole region of skin that is affected with acne. In other words... | Read more ...

EFFICACY
The following figures show pooled data from randomized, controlled double-blind trials involving 673 patients with acne... | Read more ...

COMPLIANCE
Three factors to consider for good compliance of Clindoxyl Gel are: Well tolerated by most patients, results are often seen within 2 weeks... | Read more ...

SIDE EFFECTS, SAFETY AND RISKS
Overall tolerance was rated as excellent in 94% of patients. Potential side effects expected in some patients... | Read more ...

COST OF TREATMENT
This is a cost effective product. Reducing inflammation can reduce the risks of scarring... | Read more ...

View the entire Clindoxyl® Gel presentation.

Diane-35^®

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INTRODUCTION
There are limitations for regulators, pharmaceutical companies and pharmaceutical sales representatives to present clinical evidence following development of product monograph and drug approval... | Read more ...

CLININCAL EXPERIENCE
Diane-35® (2mg cyproterone acetate and 0.035mg ethinyl estradiol) is approved for use in Canada to treat women with severe acne who are unresponsive to other available treatments and who have associated symptoms of androgenization, such as seborrhea and mild hirsutism. In addition to treating acne, Diane-35® also provides reliable contraception... | Read more ...

INDICATIONS
Used to treat women with severe* acne and its associated symptoms of androgenization, including seborrhea and mild hirsutism.. | Read more ...

PATIENT PROFILE
Women who have acne associated or not with signs of hyperandrogenism. Any woman who has acne that is not controlled with topical medication... | Read more ...

DOSING
Diane-35® is sold in blister pack units containing 21 tablets. Each tablet contains 2mg of cyproterone acetate and 0.035mg of ethinyl estradiol. Each cycle consists of 21 days on the medication and a 7-day interval without it... | Read more ...

EFFICACY
Improvements in seborrhea are generally seen after 2 to 3 months. Improvements to acne are generally seen after 3 to 4 months. Numerous studies have proven the efficacy of hormonal therapy in treating acne over 6 or more months of use... | Read more ...

COMPLIANCE
Patients should take Diane-35® at the same time each day with liquid... | Read more ...

SIDE EFFECTS, SAFETY AND RISKS
Side effects are typical of most oral contraceptives and can include breast tenderness, headache, nausea, breakthrough bleeding, ankle swelling and weight gain. These side effects are typically mild and tend to resolve by the second or third cycle of therapy... | Read more ...

COST OF TREATMENT
Diane-35 is sold to pharmacy wholesalers at a cost of $19.00 per cycle... | Read more ...

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