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Drug interactions

Calcium + Gemifloxacin

Severity: Moderate

Calcium and Gemifloxacin: moderate interaction.

Last updated

For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.

Summary

Oral calcium can bind gemifloxacin in the gut and lower its absorption, risking subtherapeutic antibiotic levels and treatment failure.

What this interaction means in plain words

Calcium and Gemifloxacin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken.

Calcium belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract; Gemifloxacin belongs to Anti Bacterial.

Evidence level: High

Why it happens

Divalent calcium cations chelate the fluoroquinolone in the gastrointestinal tract, reducing its absorption.

What to do

Give gemifloxacin at least 2 hours before or 3 hours after calcium-containing products.

What to ask your pharmacist

  • Should I take them at different times of day?
  • Does the dose of either medicine need to change?
  • Is there anything I should avoid, such as alcohol or certain foods, while on both?

Bring a full list of your medicines, including over-the-counter products, supplements and herbal remedies, to every pharmacy visit.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I take Calcium with Gemifloxacin?

MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Calcium and Gemifloxacin can affect each other. The combination is often manageable, but it may need a change of dose, a change of timing, or extra checks while both are taken. Oral calcium can bind gemifloxacin in the gut and lower its absorption, risking subtherapeutic antibiotic levels and treatment failure.

How serious is the interaction between Calcium and Gemifloxacin?

MediHelp rates it moderate, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Give gemifloxacin at least 2 hours before or 3 hours after calcium-containing products.

What other medicines interact with Calcium?

MediHelp also lists interactions of Calcium with, for example, Ceftriaxone, Acalabrutinib, Alendronate. The full list is on the Calcium page.

Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app

Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.

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