Cipro & Urinary Tract Infection

The prescription drug Cipro, also known as Ciprofloxacin, is often prescribed as a remedy for adults and children suffering from a painful and persistent urinary tract infections. A urinary tract infection often requires an antibiotic like Cipro to fight against infection-causing bacteria.

Types

• A urinary tract infection can affect any area of the urinary system including the bladder and kidneys. The infection is often characterized by frequent and painful urination, blood in the urine and a burning sensation while urinating.

Features

• A urinary tract infection occurs when bacteria, like E. coli, multiply in the urinary tract or bladder. The bacteria normally enter through the urethra and can lead to infection when the immune system is not strong enough to fight the bacteria from spreading.

Drug Intervention

• A physician may prescribe the antibiotic in the case of a urinary tract infection after doing a urine culture. The culture will show whether the microorganisms present can be cured by a drug like Cipro.

Drug Features

• Cipro is made in two forms: a coated tablet and a strawberry-flavored liquid. Cipro is designed to treat bacterial infections, but not any viral infection. The makers of Cipro advise that the drug be taken with plenty of fluids, but it is not necessary to combine it with food.

Treatment

• The treatment cycle for the antibiotic Cipro is 7 to 14 days. Symptoms generally clear within a few days of taking Cipro, but it is always recommended that you continue taking the drug until the prescription from your doctor has been fulfilled to ensure the infection will not return.

Side Effects

• Cipro may cause side effects that include increased risk of tendinitis, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, abnormal liver functioning and rash.