Drug interactions
Calcium carbonate + Oxytetracycline
Severity: Moderate
Calcium carbonate and Oxytetracycline: 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
Calcium carbonate decreases oxytetracycline absorption and may cause inadequate antibiotic exposure and treatment failure.
What this interaction means in plain words
Calcium carbonate and Oxytetracycline 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 carbonate belongs to Gastrointestinal Tract; Oxytetracycline belongs to Anti Bacterial.
Why it happens
Calcium ions chelate oxytetracycline in the gut, forming insoluble, poorly absorbed complexes.
What to do
Give oxytetracycline at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after calcium carbonate.
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?
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Other interactions of Calcium carbonate
Other interactions of Oxytetracycline
- Isotretinoin + Oxytetracycline Contraindicated
- Aluminum hydroxide + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Ampicillin-sulbactam + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Ampicillin + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Atracurium + Oxytetracycline Moderate
- Bismuth subsalicylate + Oxytetracycline Moderate
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Calcium carbonate with Oxytetracycline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Calcium carbonate and Oxytetracycline 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 carbonate decreases oxytetracycline absorption and may cause inadequate antibiotic exposure and treatment failure.
How serious is the interaction between Calcium carbonate and Oxytetracycline?
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 oxytetracycline at least 2 hours before or 4 hours after calcium carbonate.
What other medicines interact with Calcium carbonate?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Calcium carbonate with, for example, Acalabrutinib, Alendronate, Amlodipine-hydrochlorothiazide-valsartan. The full list is on the Calcium carbonate page.
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