Nitrofurantoin

Nitrofurantoin, sold under the trade name Macrobid among others, is an antibiotic used to treat bladder infections. It is not effective for kidney infections. It is taken by mouth. Nitrofurantoin, sold under the trade name Macrobid among others, is an antibiotic used to treat bladder infections. It is not effective for kidney infections. It is taken by mouth. Common side effects include nausea, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and headaches. Rarely numbness, lung problems, or liver problems may occur. It should not be used in people with kidney problems. While it appears to be generally safe during pregnancy it should not be used near delivery. It works by slowing growth rather than killing bacteria. Nitrofurantoin was first sold in 1953. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most effective and safe medicines needed in a health system. It is available as a generic medication. The wholesale cost in the developing world is between 0.10 and 9.20 USD for a course of treatment. In the United States, the wholesale cost is about 8 USD for this amount as of 2018. In 2016 it was the 186th most prescribed medication in the United States with more than 3 million prescriptions. Current uses include the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) and prophylaxis against UTIs in people prone to recurrent UTIs. Increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance to other commonly used agents, such as fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, has led to increased interest in using nitrofurantoin. The efficacy of nitrofurantoin in treating UTIs combined with a low rate of bacterial resistance to this agent makes it one of the first-line agents for treating uncomplicated UTIs as recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the European Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Nitrofurantoin is not recommended for the treatment of pyelonephritis, prostatitis, and intra-abdominal abscess, because of extremely poor tissue penetration and low blood levels.