Clindamycin Side Effects, Uses, & Interactions

Generic Name:

Clindamycin

Brand Names:

Cleocin Oral, Cleocin-T, Clinda-Derm, Evoclin, Dalacin, Duac Topical (with benzoyl peroxide), Clindagel, Clindamycin, Clindesse, Clindets

Clindamycin Description:

Clindamycin is a semi-synthetic antibiotic from a group of antibiotic agents known as lincosamides, used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. This medication is available under various brand names and pharmaceutical companies. It is marketed as hydrochloride salt for oral intake and as phosphate salt for parenteral, topical, or vaginal administration.

Clindamycin is used to treat infections caused by the following bacteria:

Methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strains
Penicillin-susceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae strains
Streptococcus pyogenes
Prevotella melaninogenica
Fusobacterium necrophorum
Fusobacterium nucleatum
Peptostreptococcus anaerobius
Clostridium perfringens

Clindamycin Side Effects:

Common side effects that may occur during Clindamycin treatment or weeks after treatment has stopped include:

Abdominal pain or stomach cramps
Diarrhea
Nausea
Vomiting
Pain when swallowing
White patches in the mouth
Joint pain
Thick, white vaginal discharge
Vaginal swelling, burning, or itching

For more information, see our Clindamycin side effects page.

Clindamycin Uses:

Clindamycin is indicated for the treatment of some serious infections caused by bacterial microorganisms. Clinical studies have proved the efficacy of this medication in curing the following infections:

Empyema (collection of puss in a body cavity)
Anaerobic pneumonitis (pneumonia)
Lung abscess
Serious skin infections
Soft tissue infections
Peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the abdominal cavity)
Intra-abdominal abscess
Endometritis (pelvic infection)
Nongonococcal tubo-ovarian abscess
Pelvic cellulitis
Post surgical vaginal cuff infection
Prevention of endocarditis (inflammation of the lining of the heart chambers and valves) in patients who are at the risk of developing infection of heart valves after dental procedures

The topical application of clindamycin is considered to be effective in treating acne.

Used in combination with other medications, clindamycin can treat anthrax and malaria.

Clindamycin can cure some bone infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

Clindamycin is also used to treat certain ear infections and toxoplasmosis when these infections cannot be treated with other medications.

Clindamycin Interactions:

Clindamycin has been reported to have neuromuscular blocking properties that would increase the action of other neuromuscular blocking agents. Patients who are receiving such agents should take clindamycin very cautiously.

While taking clindamycin, the following drugs may cause interaction, so talk with your doctor before combining them with clindamycin treatment:

Erythromycin (E-Mycin, Erythrocin, etc.)
Atracurium
Cyclosporine
Metocurine
Tubocurarine
Certain drugs for diarrhea, including loperamid, dephenoxylate, atropine, and attapulgite-containing medications such as Diasorb, Donnagel, Kaopectate, and Parepectolin

Clindamycin Dosage Information:

Typical dosage recommendation:

The dosing pattern of clindamycin depends on the severity of the infection and the method of delivery used.

For capsules and solutions in oral form:

For adults and teenagers, the usual dose is 150 to 300 mg taken every six hours. For more severe infections, patients may take a dose of 300 to 450 mg every six hours.

For children older than 1 month of age, dosages depend on body weight. The usual dose is 0.9 to 2.3 mg/lb given every six hours, or 1.2 to 3.0 mg/lb given every eight hours.

For injections:

For adults and teenagers, the usual dose is 300 to 600 mg injected every six to eight hours, or 900 mg given every eight hours. The medication should be directly injected into a vein or muscle.

For children older than 1 month of age, dosages depend on body weight. The usual dose is 1.7 to 4.5 mg/lb injected every six hours, or 2.3 to 6.0 mg/lb given every eight hours.

Missing a Dose:

If you miss a dose of clindamycin, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for the next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and wait to return to your regular dosing schedule. Never take a double dose of this antibiotic. Clindamycin is most effective when there is a steady amount of the medication in the blood, and missing doses can affect the success of this treatment.

Overdosing:

Seek emergency medical attention if you believe you have overdosed on clindamycin. Symptoms of overdose include seizure, diarrhea, changes in behavior, or depression.

Clindamycin FDA Approval:

Clindamycin hydrochloride for oral intake was first approved on Sep 20, 1989. Clindamycin phosphate was first approved on July 24, 1987.

Clindamycin Recall/Black Box Warning Information:

Clindamycin includes a Black Box warning cautioning patients about the risk of Clostridium difficile colitis associated with many antibacterial agents. Clindamycin can affect the flora of the colon and cause the overgrowth of dangerous bacteria such as C.difficile, leading to a disease of the large intestine called C. difficile colitis.

C. difficile colitis is characterized by the inflammation of the large intestine or colon and consequent diarrhea. Most of the symptoms of colitis will go away after the discontinuation of the causative antibiotic agent, but sometimes the condition can become fatal. Patients should seek immediate medical attention if they notice any of the following symptoms:

Watery or bloody stools
Diarrhea
Stomach cramps
Fever

It should be noted that patients could develop these symptoms during the period of treatment or up to several months after the completion of treatment.

Recalls

Ther-Rx Corporation issued a recall of their clindamycin vaginal medication called Clindesse, as the drug could have been manufactured under conditions that did not meet manufacturing standards. The company has recalled all of its products to ensure these medications did not reach patients.

Apotex, a Canadian drug manufacturing company, has recalled APO clindamycin hydrochloride 150 and 300 mg. The recall was issued after the company identified batches of clindamycin raw material and certain beta-antibiotics that had inadequate separation during manufacturing.

Other warnings

Clindamycin can only cure bacterial infections. This medication cannot be used for colds, flu, or any other infections caused by viruses. In order to minimize the chances for the growth of drug-resistant bacteria and to preserve the efficiency of antibacterial agents, clindamycin should be used to treat only those infections that are proven or strongly believed to be caused by bacteria.

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