FAILURE OF PROSTATITIS TREATMENT SECONDARY TO PROBABLE CIPROFLOXACIN SUCRALFATE DRUG-INTERACTION

Metal cations such as aluminum, magnesium, ferrous sulfate, and zinc a re thought to form chelation complexes with fluoroquinolone antibiotic s and prevent the drugs from being absorbed. Sucralfate, which has a h igh aluminum content, reduces the bioavailability of ciprofloxacin to approximately 4%. The concomitant administration of ciprofloxacin and sucralfate resulted in treatment failure for a patient with prostatiti s and a subsequent 5-day hospitalization. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics should be administered at least 2 hours before agents containing metal cations to allow for their absorption. In addition, sucralfate should not be administered less than 6 hours before fluoroquinolone antibiot ic administration.