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Cetraxal is a preparation in the form of drops applied to the ears. It contains ciprofloxacin, which has a bactericidal effect. It is used to treat bacterial acute external otitis in patients whose eardrum is intact. It can be used in children over the age of one. It is a prescription drug.
Cetraxal Drops – dosage
The dosage of the drug is the same for adults, adolescents and children from the first year of life. The preparation is applied only topically to the ear. The solution should be warmed up by holding the medicine pack in your hands for a few minutes (to avoid dizziness due to dropping a cold substance into the ear canal). One ampoule of the drug should be instilled into the ear canal 2 times a day for 7 days. The patient should be in a supine position with the affected ear facing upwards. When applying the drops, you need to pull the auricle several times. You should remain lying down for about 5 minutes for the drops to reach the inside of the ear. Some drops may leak out of your ear when you lift your head up again.
Cetraxal – contraindications
If the patient is allergic to ciprofloxacin, is hypersensitive to any active or auxiliary substance of the drug (including quinolone antibacterial drugs), he should choose a preparation with a different composition. It is important to inform your doctor about all the recently taken drugs, including those obtained without a prescription. The use of the drug with other drugs applied to the ears is not recommended. Cetraxal can be used by women during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but as with all medicines, they should consult their doctor beforehand.
The effectiveness and safety of the drug has not been tested in children before the age of one. Nevertheless, in exceptional circumstances, the doctor may recommend its use in patients in this age group.
Cetraxal – side effects
Ear itching, headache, dizziness, ringing in the ears, irritation (dermatitis) or local skin reactions, and pain at the application site have been reported uncommonly in patients who have used Cetraxal. Very rarely, rash, reddening and peeling of the skin (as a symptom of exfoliative dermatitis), blistering and cracking of the skin (toxic epidermal necrolysis), skin allergy manifested by itching and hives (urticaria), acute allergic reaction.
The use of the drug has no influence on the ability to operate machinery and drive vehicles.
After topical application to the ear, the active substance of the drug (ciprofloxacin) should not pass into the body.
Cetraxal and alcohol
No studies have been published to suggest that any food, including alcohol, should be avoided while taking Cetraxal.
Cetraxal – cena
A package containing 15 ampoules of the drug (sufficient for a weekly treatment recommended by the manufacturer) costs from 39,90 to 45,90 PLN.
Cetraxal Plus – ear drops
Cetraxal Plus is a combined preparation containing two active substances: ciprofloxacin (antibacterial) and fluocinolone (anti-inflammatory, antipruritic and vasoconstrictive). It is used topically in the treatment of bacterial ear infections: in acute otitis externa and acute otitis media in people with ear ventilation drainage.
The drug can be used by adults and children from 6 months of age. Contraindications to the use of the preparation are: hypersensitivity to any component of the drug, viral infection of the external ear canal (including chicken pox and herpes simplex) and fungal ear infection.
After topical administration of the drug to the ear, no active substances were released into plasma. Despite this, the use of the preparation during pregnancy is not recommended, unless the attending physician considers its implementation necessary for treatment.
Cetraxal Plus – a cheaper alternative
The following preparations have the same active substance in their composition:
- Ciphin 500,
- Ciloxan,
- Ciprinol,
- Ciprobay,
- Ciprofloxacin Fair-Med, Ciprofloxacin Kabi,
- Ciprofloxacin Claris.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist about any change in medication. It should be remembered that the new preparation contains the same dose of the drug as the previous one. The patient should also check that he is not allergic or hypersensitive to the excipients of the new formulation.