Some of the most common infectious diseases are urinary tract infections (UTI). More than 7 million UTI cases are annually diagnosed in the USA. Herewith, more than 2 million Americans with UTI are diagnosed with cystitis.
In late treatment of UTI, it is developed acute, chronic forms of the disease that may require hospitalization. In clinic, expenses for the treatment of complicated UTI are significantly higher than the expenses of UTI treatment at home.
Therefore, timely diagnosis and beginning of UTI treatment allow not only to prevent severe infection, but also significantly to reduce the costs of infectious disease treatment.
For the treatment of UTI in children and adults, it is used antibiotics included in different pharmacological groups. Many antibiotics for UTI are commercially available for several decades, but some went on sale just a few years ago.
Before prescribing antibiotic for UTI, the physician should determine the causative agent of infectious disease. In this regard, clinical examination and urine analysis are required. In frequent relapses of UTI, the doctor can prescribe antibiotic before the results of laboratory tests.
The duration of using antibiotics for UTI depends on the disease severity. In the treatment of severe UTI, the duration of antibacterial therapy can be a few weeks.
- Acute UTIs (acute cystitis included)
One of the antibiotics that can be used only for the treatment of acute uncomplicated UTI is Nitrofurantoin. This oral antibiotic is approved by the FDA and is sold in the USA under the proprietary names Furadantin, Furalan, Ivadantin.
Nitrofurantoin is effective when treating UTI caused by pathogenic bacteria – Staphylococcus saprophyticus or Escherichia coli. For the treatment of acute UTI in children aged 12 years and older, a single dose of Nitrofurantoin 100mg should be taken within 7 days.
- Complicated and uncomplicated UTIs
The FDA-approved antibiotic – Aztreonam is effective in the treatment of uncomplicated and complicated UTI caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Citrobacter species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, and Proteus mirabilis.
Advantage of Aztreonam monobactam antibiotic lies in a broad-spectrum of antibacterial activity. However, given that Aztreonam should be administered as an intermittent intravenous infusion only, therefore at home this antibiotic for the treatment of UTI is used in rare case.
The maximum single dose of Aztreonam is 1 g, but the maximum frequency of use – 3 times a day. You can buy antibiotics for the complicated and uncomplicated UTIs containing antibacterial agent – Aztreonam under the trade names Cayston and Azactam.
- Gynecological infections
One of the most prescribed antibiotics for UTI treatment in women is Metronidazole. A broad-spectrum of antibacterial activity and availability of different dosage forms allow using Metronidazole for the treatment of symptomatic trichomoniasis, asymptomatic vaginalis infection, infectious endomyometritis and endometritis, postsurgical vaginal cuff infection, tubo-ovarian abscess and other severe vaginal infections.
There are Metronidazole oral tablets and capsules, Metronidazole topical cream and lotion, Metronidazole vaginal cream and Metronidazole solution for injections at the U.S. market. Metronidazole dose for UTI in women depends on the dosage form used. In the USA, drugs containing antibacterial agent – Metronidazole are available for sale under the trademarks: Flagyl, Metrocream, Noritate, Metrogel, Vandazole, Metro I.V., Metrolotion.
- Complicated UTIs in children
One of the few antibiotics that can be used for the treatment of complicated UTIs in children is Ciprofloxacin. The advantage of this antibiotic lies in its high efficiency. However, because Ciprofloxacin may cause musculoskeletal problems (pain and swelling of the joints) in children, it is prescribed to children only if alternative methods of UTI treatment are ineffective.
For antibacterial therapy in children, only oral dosage forms of Ciprofloxacin (tablets, suspension) are used. Adult patients with UTI can be prescribed with Ciprofloxacin injections. The maximum single dose of Ciprofloxacin for children aged 1 to 17 years is 20mg per kg of a child’s body weight, but no more than 750mg.
The recommended frequency of Ciprofloxacin use for UTI treatment in children is two times a day. If complicated UTI in a child requires Ciprofloxacin use more than 10 days, antibiotic therapy should be conducted under the supervision of the attending physician.
Ciprofloxacin is approved by the FDA more than 20 years and today is sold in the USA under different proprietary names. The most popular brand names of Ciprofloxacin antibiotic in the USA are Cipro, Ciloxan, Cetraxal, Ciprodex.
- Combined antibiotics for UTI
If UTI monotherapy is ineffective, two antibiotics at once or one drug containing two antibacterial agents can be prescribed. One of the more effective and safer combined antibiotics, which can be used for UTI treatment in newborns from 2 months and adults, contains antibacterial agents Sulfamethoxazole and Trimethoprim. In the USA, this antibiotic for UTI is better known under the brand Bactrim.
Bactrim can be used both in initial episodes of uncomplicated UTI and in relapses of infectious diseases. Regardless of a patient’s age, Bactrim antibiotic should be taken twice daily.
If the combined antibiotic – Bactrim was prescribed to treat UTI, adult patients should take it within 14 day, but children – within 10 days. In frequent relapses, Bactrim can be prescribed for UTI prevention.
- Penicillin antibiotics for UTI
One of the cheapest antibiotics for UTI is included in penicillin group. Low price of penicillin antibiotics is due to their availability and competition between their manufacturers.
Penicillin antibiotics for UTI are manufactured by dozens of companies and sold under various trade names. For example, the U.S. suppliers of cheap antibiotic for UTI – Amoxicillin are more than 10 pharmaceutical companies, including the largest manufacturers of cheap generic drugs: Teva, Sandoz, Aurobindo, Dr Reddys, and Ranbaxy.
If you have been prescribed antibiotics but they are very expensive in your city, you can buy cheap antibiotics for UTI online. If you decide to order an antibiotic for UTI without a prescription but have never bought antibiotics online before, ask a pharmacist of online pharmacy for a qualified advice.