Ciprofloxacin (Cetraxal) is an antibiotic-containing ear drop used to treat infections of the outer ear.
Outer ear infection
Ciprofloxacin (Cetraxal) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic that kills bacteria by blocking a protein they need to reproduce and repair themselves.
Source: DailyMed
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report these to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Works against many of the common bacteria
Available as a generic, which can be more affordable
Comes in individual dose droppers
Can lead to overgrowth of bacteria and fungi that the medication doesn't cover
Not approved in children 1 year or younger
Treats only outer ear infections compared to similar antibiotic ear drops
Store the ear drops at room temperature. Keep them in their pouch to protect them from light.
Wash your hands before and after you use ear drops.
Warm the bottle by holding it in your hand for a minute before using it. This can prevent dizziness caused by cold ear drops.
Have the person receiving the ear drops lie on their side with the infected ear facing the ceiling. Squeeze all the liquid in the dropper into the ear. Don't get up for at least a minute. If both ears are infected, repeat this process on the other side.
Each dropper is used for only one dose, so throw it away after you've used it once.
Contact your provider if the infection hasn't improved after a week. It's possible that the infection might need a different antibiotic.
Ciprofloxacin (Cetraxal) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Ciprofloxacin (Cetraxal) can cause bacteria or fungi that aren't killed by it to grow too much and cause another infection. Contact your provider if you or your child complains of fever or pain, or the drainage from the ears hasn't decreased after a week.
ciprofloxacin (Cetraxal) shouldn't be used in your eyes or given as an injection.
Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
---|---|---|---|
14 containers of 0.2% otic solution | 1 carton | $267.85 | $267.85 |
The typical dose is 1 container into the infected ear every 12 hours (twice daily) for 7 days. This ear drop comes in single-use containers that contain 1 full dose
Outer ear infection (swimmer's ear) in people ages 6 months and older
Middle ear infections in children ages 1 year and older with ear tubes
Long-term middle ear infections in people ages 12 years and older with burst eardrums
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