Prescription Medications

Medicine Use Dosage

Norflaxin/Ciprofloxin Travellers Diarrhea Ciprofloxacin 500 mg 2X/day for 1 to 3 days, or
one 750-mg dose (if diarrhea resolves) if diarrhea
continues 500 mg 2X/day for a total of 5 days
Norfloxacin 400 mg 2X/day for 1-3days
Azithromycin Travellers diarrhea azithromycin 250 mg, 2 on the first day; if
diarrhea stops completely, stop.
If continues 250 mg 1X/day for 4 more days (5
days total)
Buscopan Stomach Cramping 10mg 3 X/ day
Tinidazole/metronidazole Giardia Tin: 2g once with food
Metro: 250mg 3Xda, for 5-7 days
Diflucan Yeast infections Single dose of 150 mg
Amoxycilin Skin infections 875mg 2X for 10 days
Malarone (atovaquone and Malaria prevention and treatment Prophylactic: 250mg 1X/day take 1-2 days
proguanil) before,7 days after.
Treatment: 4 tab 1X/day for 3 days. (not if used
for prophy)
Doxycycline Malaria prevention Prophylactic: 100mg/day take 1-2 days before 28
days after
Treatment:100 mg 2X/day1 week along w/
quinine 650 mg 3X day
Larium/ Mefloquine Malaria prevention once weekly in a dosage of 250 mg, starting one-
to-two weeks before arrival and continuing
through the trip and for four weeks after
departure.
Citalopram Anti-Anxiety 20mg 1 tab 1X/day
Loratadine antihistamine 10mg 1 tab 1X/day as needed
Loperimide Diarrhea stopper
Acyclovir Herpes 400mg 1 tab every 8 hrs for 10 days
Tadalafil/sildenafil Prevention and Treatment of Prevention: Tadalafil (Cialis) 10 mg 2Xday
HAPE Treatment: Sildenafil (Viagra) 50 mg orally 3X
/day or tadalafil 10 mg orally 2X/day
Diamox/ Acetazolamide (treats Prevention of AMS, HACE Prevention: 125mg-250mg 1 tab 2X/day. 12-24hrs
problem) (HAPE possibly) before ascent, continue 24-48hrs after
Treatment of HACE Treatment dosage is 250 mg 2X/ for about three
days.
Dexamethazone (treats Treatment of HACE Single dose of 8mg, then 4 mg every 6 hours
symptoms-reduces brain
swelling)
Nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat) Treatment of HAPE 10 mg once then 30 mg sustained release every
12 hours
Prochlorperazine Nausea/vomiting 5mg tabs; 1-2 tabs every 6-8 hours

Treatment for Uncomplicated UTIs

UTIs in low-risk women can often be successfully treated over the phone. In such cases, a health professional provides the
patients with 3-day antibiotic regimens without requiring an office urine test. This course is recommended only for women
at low risk for recurrent infection, who do not have symptoms (such as vaginitis) suggesting other problems.
Antibiotic Regimen . Oral antibiotic treatment cures 94% of uncomplicated urinary tract infections, although the rate of
recurrence remains high. The following antibiotics are commonly used for uncomplicated UTIs:
 The standard regimen has traditionally been a 3-day course of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, commonly called
TMP-SMX (Bactrim, Cotrim, Septra). TMP-SMX combines an antibiotic with a sulfa drug. A single dose of TMP-
SMX is sometimes prescribed in mild cases, but cure rates are generally lower than with 3-day regimens. Allergies
to sulfa are common and may be serious.
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, also called quinolones, have usually been a second choice. However, in geographic
areas that have a high resistance to TMP-SMX, quinolones are now the first-line treatment for UTIs. Ciprofloxacin
(Cipro) is the quinolone antibiotic most commonly prescribed. Quinolones are usually given over a 3-day period.
Pregnant women should not take these drugs.
Nitrofurantoin (Furadantin, Macrodantin) is a third option. This drug must be given for longer than 3 days.
Fosfomycin (Monurol) is not as effective as other antibiotics but may be used during pregnancy. Resistance rates
to this drug are very low.
Other antibiotics may also be used, including amoxicillin (with or without clavulanate) and cephalosporins.
Doxycycline is often effective but cannot be given to children or pregnant women.

After a week of antibiotic treatment, most patients are free of infection. If the symptoms do not clear up within the first few
days of therapy, doctors generally suggest that women discontinue their antibiotic and provide a urine sample for culturing
in order to identify the specific organism causing the condition.
Treatment for Relapsing Infection . A relapsing infection (caused by treatment failure) occurs within 3 weeks in about 10%
of women. Relapse is treated similarly to a first infection, but the antibiotics are usually continued for 7 - 14 days.
(Relapsing infections may be due to structural abnormalities, abscesses, or other problems that may require surgery, and
such conditions should be ruled out.)

Treatment for Recurrent Infections

Women who have two or more symptomatic UTIs within 6 months or three or more over the course of a year may need
preventive antibiotics. A woman's own perception of discomfort can generally guide her decisions on whether or not to use
preventive antibiotics. All women should use lifestyle measures to prevent recurrences.
Intermittent Self Treatment . Many, if not most, women with recurrent UTIs can effectively self-treat recurrent UTIs without
going to a doctor. In general, this requires the following steps:
As soon as the patient develops symptoms, she takes the antibiotic. Infections that occur less than twice a year are
usually treated as if they were an initial attack, with single-dose or 3-day antibiotic regimens.
In some cases, she also performs a clean-catch urine test before starting antibiotics and sends it to the doctor for
culturing to confirm the infection.
A woman should consult a doctor under the following circumstances:
If symptoms have not gone away within 48 hours
If there is a change in symptoms
If the patient suspects that she is pregnant
If the patient has more than four infections a year
Women who are not good candidates for self-treatment are those with impaired immune systems, previous kidney
infections, structural abnormalities of the urinary tract, or a history of infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Postcoital Antibiotics . If recurrent infections are clearly related to sexual activity and episodes recur more than two times
within a 6-month period, a single preventive dose taken immediately after intercourse is effective. Antibiotics for such cases
include TMP-SMX, nitrofurantoin, cephalexin, or a fluoroquinolone (such as ciprofloxacin). (Fluoroquinolones are not
appropriate during pregnancy.)
Continuous Preventive Antibiotics (Prophylaxis) . Continuous preventive (prophylactic) antibiotics are an option for some
women who do not respond to other measures. With this approach, low-dose antibiotics are taken continuously for 6
months or longer.