Nitrofurazone (Topical)

Brand Names : Furacin Cream, Furacin Soluble Dressing, Furacin Topical Solution

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For nitrofurazone, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to nitrofurazone. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as preservatives or dyes.

Pregnancy - Topical nitrofurazone has not been studied in pregnant women. Nitrofurazone given to rabbits in oral doses thirty times greater than the human dose produced a slight increase in the number of stillbirths.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether topical nitrofurazone passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are using this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of nitrofurazone in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of nitrofurazone in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine that is to be applied to the same area of the skin.

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of nitrofurazone. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Kidney disease - Certain ingredients (polyethylene glycols) in the topical solution and the soluble dressing may be absorbed through the skin and may not be eliminated from the body normally in patients with kidney function impairment, which may increase the chance of side effects. Nitrofurazone cream does not contain polyethylene glycol.