Metronidazole (Topical Route) Before Using

Description and Brand Names

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

US Brand Name

Metrocream
Metrogel
Metrolotion
Noritate
Rosadan
Rosadan Cream Kit
Rozex
Vitazol

Descriptions

Metronidazole topical gel is used to treat inflammatory lesions (pimples and red bumps) caused by rosacea. Rosacea is a skin disease that causes redness and pimples on your nose, cheeks, chin, and forehead.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

This product is available in the following dosage forms:

Gel/Jelly
Cream
Lotion

Before Using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of metronidazole topical gel in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of metronidazole topical gel in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more sensitive to the effects of this medicine than younger adults.

Drug Interactions

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

Amprenavir
Bepridil
Cisapride
Disulfiram
Dronabinol
Dronedarone
Levoketoconazole
Mesoridazine
Pimozide
Saquinavir
Sparfloxacin
Terfenadine
Thioridazine
Ziprasidone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Acenocoumarol
Adagrasib
Alfuzosin
Amiodarone
Amisulpride
Amitriptyline
Anagrelide
Apomorphine
Aripiprazole
Aripiprazole Lauroxil
Arsenic Trioxide
Asenapine
Astemizole
Atazanavir
Azithromycin
Bedaquiline
Buprenorphine
Bupropion
Buserelin
Busulfan
Capecitabine
Ceritinib
Chloroquine
Chlorpromazine
Cholera Vaccine, Live
Cimetidine
Ciprofloxacin
Citalopram
Clarithromycin
Clofazimine
Clomipramine
Clothiapine
Clozapine
Crizotinib
Cyclobenzaprine
Dabrafenib
Dasatinib
Degarelix
Delamanid
Desipramine
Deslorelin
Deutetrabenazine
Dexmedetomidine
Disopyramide
Dofetilide
Dolasetron
Domperidone
Donepezil
Doxepin
Doxifluridine
Droperidol
Ebastine
Efavirenz
Entrectinib
Eribulin
Erythromycin
Escitalopram
Etrasimod
Famotidine
Felbamate
Fexinidazole
Fingolimod
Flecainide
Fluconazole
Fluorouracil
Fluoxetine
Formoterol
Foscarnet
Fosphenytoin
Fostemsavir
Galantamine
Gatifloxacin
Gemifloxacin
Gepirone
Gonadorelin
Goserelin
Granisetron
Halofantrine
Haloperidol
Histrelin
Hydroquinidine
Hydroxychloroquine
Hydroxyzine
Ibutilide
Iloperidone
Imipramine
Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
Itraconazole
Ivabradine
Ketoconazole
Lapatinib
Lefamulin
Lenvatinib
Levofloxacin
Lithium
Lumefantrine
Macimorelin
Mebendazole
Mefloquine
Methadone
Methotrimeprazine
Mifepristone
Mirtazapine
Mizolastine
Mobocertinib
Moricizine
Moxifloxacin
Mycophenolate Mofetil
Mycophenolic Acid
Nafarelin
Nelfinavir
Nilotinib
Norfloxacin
Octreotide
Ofloxacin
Olanzapine
Ondansetron
Osilodrostat
Oxaliplatin
Ozanimod
Pacritinib
Paliperidone
Panobinostat
Papaverine Hydrochloride
Paroxetine
Pasireotide
Pazopanib
Pentamidine
Perphenazine
Phenobarbital
Phenprocoumon
Phenytoin
Pimavanserin
Pipamperone
Piperaquine
Pitolisant
Ponesimod
Posaconazole
Primidone
Probucol
Procainamide
Prochlorperazine
Promethazine
Propafenone
Protriptyline
Quinidine
Quinine
Quizartinib
Ranolazine
Relugolix
Ribociclib
Risperidone
Ritonavir
Selpercatinib
Sertindole
Sertraline
Sevoflurane
Sodium Phosphate
Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
Solifenacin
Sorafenib
Sotalol
Sulpiride
Sultopride
Sunitinib
Tamoxifen
Tegafur
Telaprevir
Telavancin
Telithromycin
Tetrabenazine
Tolterodine
Toremifene
Trazodone
Triclabendazole
Trimipramine
Triptorelin
Vandetanib
Vardenafil
Vemurafenib
Venlafaxine
Vilanterol
Vinflunine
Voclosporin
Voriconazole
Vorinostat
Warfarin
Zotepine
Zuclopenthixol

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Carbamazepine
Cyclosporine
Milk Thistle

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this medication, change some of the other medicines you take, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Ethanol

Proper Use

It is very important that you use this medicine only as directed by your doctor. Do not use more of it, do not use it more often, and do not use it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may cause unwanted side effects or skin irritation.

This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

This medicine is for use on the skin only. Do not get it into your eyes, nose, mouth, or vagina. If it does get on these areas, rinse it off right away with water.

To use the topical gel:

Wash your hands with soap and water before and after using this medicine.
Make sure your skin is clean and dry before you apply this medicine.
Apply a thin layer of this medicine to the affected area of the skin.
You may apply cosmetics after applying this medicine.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For topical dosage form (gel):
- For rosacea:
  - Adults—Apply to the affected area of the skin once a day.
  - Children—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, apply it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Precautions

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to see if the medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.

If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

This medicine may cause nerve problems (eg, peripheral neuropathy). Check with your doctor right away if you have burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations, unsteadiness or awkwardness, or weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet.

Skin reactions, including contact dermatitis, may occur while using this medicine. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, burning, crusting, dryness, or flaking of the skin or itching, scaling, severe redness, soreness, or swelling of the skin.

This medicine may cause eye irritations. Check with your doctor right away if you have red, sore eyes or tearing of the eyes.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Less common

Bladder pain
blistering, burning, crusting, dryness, or flaking of the skin
bloody or cloudy urine
blurred vision
body aches or pain
chest tightness
chills
cough producing mucus
diarrhea
difficult, burning, or painful urination
difficulty breathing
dizziness
ear congestion
fever
frequent urge to urinate
general feeling of discomfort or illness
headache
itching, scaling, severe redness, soreness, or swelling of the skin
joint pain
loss of appetite
loss of voice
lower back or side pain
muscle aches and pains
nausea
pounding in the ears
shivering
slow or fast heartbeat
sore throat
stuffy or runny nose
sweating
trouble sleeping
unusual tiredness or weakness
vomiting

Incidence not known

Burning, numbness, tingling, or painful sensations
unsteadiness or awkwardness
weakness in the arms, hands, legs, or feet

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Rare

Back pain

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Portions of this document last updated: March 01, 2024

Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/metronidazole-topical-route/before-using/drg-20064727

Metronidazole (Topical Route)