This information on drug interactions with antimicrobials is intended for use as a guide and not as a complete reference source. Further information is available in the SmPCs of the individual medicines (section 4.5) available at www.HPRA.ie, the BNF Appendix 1 and Stockley’s Drug Interactions. Please be aware that new evidence may emerge that may overtake some of these recommendations.
Prescribers should be aware of the main serious drug interactions for regularly prescribed antimicrobials.
The National Medicines Information Centre (NMIC) clinical enquiry answering service is available to prescribers in Ireland for further information about specific drug-drug interactions. Contact details for the NMIC are available from their website.
If a patient is prescribed an antibiotic or antifungal that you are not familiar with, be alert for potential for drug interactions especially with concomitant use of statins, warfarin, non-vitamin K oral anticoagulants and medications that prolong the QT interval.
Combined Hormonal Contraception
Extra precautions are no longer required when using combined hormonal contraception (CHC) with antibiotics (unless those antibiotics are enzyme inducers e.g. rifampicin, rifabutin, isoniazid). The usual additional precautions regarding vomiting, diarrhoea and non-adherence to CHC apply. Correct contraceptive practice must be adhered to.
Drug Interactions Tables
