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Rifaximin

Brand and Other Names: Xifaxan
Mechanism of Action:
Rifaximin is an antibacterial drug
Indications:

XIFAXAN is a rifamycin antibacterial indicated for:
•Treatment of travelers’ diarrhea (TD) caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli in adult and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older.
•Reduction in risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy (HE) recurrence in adults.
•Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) in adults. Limitations of Use
•TD: Do not use in patients with diarrhea complicated by fever or blood in the stool or diarrhea due to pathogens other than Escherichia coli.

Route: Oral
Dose:
XIFAXAN can be taken with or without food. See package insert for complete information.
Adverse Reactions:

Most common adverse reactions:
•TD (≥2%): Headache (6.1)
•HE (≥10%): Peripheral edema, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and ascites
•IBS-D (≥2%): ALT increased, nausea (6.1)

Contraindication:
History of hypersensitivity to rifaximin, rifamycin antimicrobial agents, or any of the components of XIFAXAN.
Warnings and Precautions:

•Travelers’ Diarrhea Not Caused by E. coli: XIFAXAN was not effective in diarrhea complicated by fever and/or blood in the stool or diarrhea due to pathogens other than E. coli. If diarrhea symptoms get worse or persist for more than 24 to 48 hours, discontinue XIFAXAN and consider alternative antibiotics.
•Clostridium difficile-Associated Diarrhea: Evaluate if diarrhea occurs after therapy or does not improve or worsens during therapy.
•Hepatic Impairment: Use with caution in patients with severe (ChildPugh Class C) hepatic impairment.
•Concomitant P-glycoprotein (P-gp) inhibitors (e.g., cyclosporine): Caution should be exercised when concomitant use of XIFAXAN and a P-glycoprotein inhibitor is needed.

See package insert for full prescribing information.