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Sulphasalazine

INDICATION

This sulpha medication is used in the treatment of mild to moderate ulcerative colitis.

SIDE EFFECTS

Loss of appetite, headache, nausea, vomiting, decreased sperm counts (reversible), and gastric distress. Other more frequent reactions include rash, itching, anaemia, and low white blood cell counts. Rare effects include: painful urination, numbness and tingling in feet and hands, blood in urine, neck swelling, peeling or blistering skin, unusual bruising or bleeding, joint and muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, fever, and sore throat.

INTERACTIONS and PRECAUTIONS

1. Should not be used in those with a history for hypersensitivity reactions to sulpha drugs.
2. Patients with porphyria should not receive this medication.
3. Should be used with caution in those with liver or kidney disease.
4. Sterility secondary to low sperm counts is considered reversible with cessation of the medication.
5. Use with penicillins or cephalosporin antibiotics can reduce sulpha effect.
6. Use with oral anticoagulants (Warfarin) can increase anticoagulant effect.
7. Use with anticonvulsants may cause a toxic effect on the brain.
8. Use with oral hypoglycaemic agents (diabetes pills) may cause a toxic effect on the brain.
9. Use with aspirin can increase sulpha effect.
10. Use with calcium supplements can decrease sulpha effect.
11. Use with can clozapine may cause a toxic effect on the CNS.
12. Use with digoxin can decrease digoxin effect.
13. Use with iron supplements can decrease sulpha effect.
14. Use with isoniazid may cause anaemia.
15. Use with methotrexate can increase methotrexate effect.
16. Use with phenylbutazone can increase sulpha effect.
17. Use with probenecid can increase sulpha effect.
18. Use with sulphinpyrazone can increase sulpha effect.
19. Use with glipizide or glibenclamide may increase their hypoglycaemic action.
20. Use with trimethoprim can increase sulpha effect.
21. Use with vitamin C may cause kidney damage--avoid larger doses of vitamin C.
22. Use with zidovudine can increase the risk of toxic effects from zidovudine.
23. Use with alcohol can increase alcohol effect.

USUAL DOSE

Adults: oral, 500 mg every six hours

Paediatrics (infants over 2 years and over): oral, 7.5 mg/kg body weight every six hours.

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