Bactrim

Generic name:sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim [ SUL-fa-meth-OX-a-zole-and-trye-METH-oh-prim ]
Brand names: Bactrim, Bactrim DS
Drug class:Sulfonamides

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on Oct 18, 2021.

What is Bactrim?

Bactrim contains a combination of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim are are both antibiotics that treat different types of infection caused by bacteria.

Bactrim is a prescription medicine used to treat ear infections, urinary tract infections, bronchitis, traveler's diarrhea, shigellosis, and Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.

To help reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of Bactrim, this medicine should be used only to treat infections that are proven, or strongly suspected, to be caused by susceptible bacteria.

Warnings

You should not use Bactrim if you have severe liver disease, kidney disease that is not being monitored, anemia caused by folic acid deficiency, if you take dofetilide, or if you have had low platelets caused by using trimethoprim or a sulfa drug.

You should not take Bactrim if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Use Bactrim only as directed. Tell your doctor if you use other medicines or have other medical conditions or allergies.

Before taking this medicine

You should not use Bactrim if you are allergic to sulfamethoxazole or trimethoprim, or if you have:

• severe liver disease;

• kidney disease that is not being treated or monitored;

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