Drug interactions
Cholestyramine + Oxytetracycline
Severity: Moderate
Cholestyramine 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
Cholestyramine binds tetracyclines in the gut and reduces their absorption, risking subtherapeutic antibiotic levels and treatment failure.
What this interaction means in plain words
Cholestyramine 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.
Cholestyramine belongs to Cardiovascular; Oxytetracycline belongs to Anti Bacterial.
Why it happens
Resin binds oxytetracycline in the gut lumen, decreasing absorption.
What to do
Give oxytetracycline at least 2 hours before or 4 to 6 hours after cholestyramine. Monitor clinical response to the antibiotic.
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 Cholestyramine
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 Cholestyramine with Oxytetracycline?
MediHelp rates the interaction as moderate. Cholestyramine 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. Cholestyramine binds tetracyclines in the gut and reduces their absorption, risking subtherapeutic antibiotic levels and treatment failure.
How serious is the interaction between Cholestyramine 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 to 6 hours after cholestyramine. Monitor clinical response to the antibiotic.
What other medicines interact with Cholestyramine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Cholestyramine with, for example, Cholic acid, Deferasirox, Leflunomide. The full list is on the Cholestyramine page.
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