Bismuth subsalicylate, metronidazole, and tetracycline (oral route)
Available brands
Helidac
About this medication
Bismuth subsalicylate, metronidazole, and tetracycline combination is used together with other medicines (eg, H2 -blocker) to treat a stomach infection caused byH. pyloribacteria and duodenal ulcer. This bacteria can cause stomach ulcers if it is not treated. This medicine should not be used for any other infection. This package contains a combination of 3 different antibiotic medicines. The individual medicines contained in this package should not be used alone or for other purposes than to treat a stomach infection caused byH. pyloriand duodenal ulcer. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
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: 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. Because of tetracycline's toxicity, use in children 8 years of age and younger is not recommended. Tetracycline may cause permanent discoloration of the teeth and slow down the growth of bones. Safety and efficacy have not been established in this age group. Although appropriate studies on the relationship of age to the effects of Helidac® have not been performed in the geriatric population, no geriatric-specific problems have been documented to date. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving this medicine. Studies in women breastfeeding have demonstrated harmful infant effects. An alternative to this medication should be prescribed or you should stop breastfeeding while using this medicine. 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. 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. 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. 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. Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects. This medicine comes with patient instructions. Read and follow these instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Each day's treatment is packaged in a blister card that contains8 chewable tablets of bismuth subsalicylate,4 tablets of metronidazole, and4 capsules of tetracycline. Pay attention to how to take each medicine. Completely chew and swallow 2bismuth tablets. Swallow themetronidazole tabletsandtetracycline capsuleswith a full glass (8 ounces) of water. Do not chew, crush, or break themetronidazole tabletsandtetracycline capsules. Take this medicine with meals and at bedtime. Drink extra fluids to help prevent irritation or ulcers in the esophagus. Your doctor will also prescribe another medicine called an H2 blocker, which will come with its own directions and must be taken along with this medicine. Avoid taking milk, dairy products, antacids containing aluminum, calcium, or magnesium (eg, Maalox®, Tums®), or supplements containing iron, zinc, or sodium bicarbonate. This may keep tetracycline from working properly. Do not drink milk or eat dairy products with this medicine. Keep using this medicine for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after the first few doses. Your infection may not clear up if you stop using this medicine too soon. 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. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take 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. Do not double doses. If you missmore than 4 dosesof this medicine, call your doctor right away. 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.
Disclaimer: August is a health information platform and its responses don't constitute medical advise. Always consult with a licenced medical professional near you before making any changes.