Generic name:rifaximin [ rif-AX-i-min ]
Drug class:Miscellaneous antibiotics
What is Xifaxan?
Xifaxan is an antibiotic that fights bacterial infection only in the intestines.
Rifaximin works differently from other antibiotics because it passes through your stomach and into your intestines without being absorbed into your blood stream. Because rifaximin treats only the intestinal tract, it will not treat infections of other parts of the body.
Xifaxan is used to treat travelers' diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) in adults and children who are at least 12 years old. Most people get this infection by eating food or drinking fluids that have been contaminated with the E. coli bacteria.
Xifaxan is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults whose main symptom is diarrhea.
Xifaxan is also used to lower the risk of a decline in brain function in adults with liver failure. Brain function can be affected when the liver stops working and cannot remove toxic substances from the body.
Warnings
You should not use take Xifaxan if you are allergic to rifaximin or medications such as rifabutin (Mycobutin), rifampin (Rifater, Rifadin, Rifamate), or rifapentine (Priftin).
Before you take Xifaxan, tell your doctor if you have severe liver disease, diarrhea with fever, or diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it.
Take Xifaxan for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Rifaximin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu, or any form of diarrhea that is caused by a virus. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 24 hours, or if they get worse while taking this medicine. Xifaxan does not treat all bacterial forms of tra...
