Silver Sulfadiazine Cream: Side effects, Uses & Precautions

Why is this medication prescribed?

Silver sulfadiazine is a topical antibiotic medication, it was founded in the 1960s. It is a class of drugs known as sulfa antibiotics that used in partial-thickness and full-thickness burns to prevent infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) created an Essential Medicines List, Silver sulfadiazine is mentioned on the list as a generic medication. It sold by the brand names are Silvadene, SSD Cream, Thermazene.

Silver sulfadiazine is used to stop the growth of bacteria that may infect an open wound. Patients with serious burns are using these medications for their other treatments to help prevent and treat wound infections. Silver sulfadiazine is helping to reduce the risk of bacteria spreading to surrounding skin or blood infection (sepsis). Blood infection like sepsis is a very serious cause, In this, our body has an unusually severe response to an infection. Sepsis is also known as septicemia.

During the first two months of newborn child life, you shouldn’t use the Silver sulfadiazine cream because it’s harmful to them.

How to use Silver Sulfadiazine cream?

This medication is prescribed to use on the skin only, using the sterile technique (wearing sterile gloves and using sterile application tools), you can apply Silver sulfadiazine cream to the wound. Usually, one to two times a day. The wound should be covered at all times by using one-sixteenth of an inch (1-2 millimeters) thick layer of medication. If needed you should cover the wound after applying the medication. And if you are taking hydrotherapy then you should reapply the medication over the wound.

If your wound is not completely healed then don’t stop using it until the site is ready for skin grafting. If you want the most benefit then use this medication regularly and remember always to use it at the same time each day. Visit your doctor if your wound is not healing or you start having other issues. Before using it follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and if you don’t understand any of the parts then ask your healthcare professionals to explain. Use it exactly as directed by the doctor or pharmacist.

Without consulting with your healthcare professionals, don’t use any other skin preparations or products on the affected area that would be harmful like Fluocinonide Topical. When you use this medication within two weeks it shows improvement in the affected area but if this medication doesn’t show any improvement and the treated area gets worse or if burning, swelling, or oozing of pus develops then talk to your doctor or pharmacist right away.

Other uses for this medicine

Ask your doctor and pharmacist for more information that what are the other uses of Silver Silver Sulfadiazine Cream medication.

What special precautions can I follow?

Some special precaution of Silver Sulfadiazine Cream you should have followed before using this medication:

• If you are taking some prescription and nonprescription medications including vitamins then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
• If you have a medical history of the G6PD or glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
• If you ever had liver or kidney disease then tell your doctor and pharmacist.
• If you are allergic to silver sulfadiazine, sulfa drugs, or any other drugs then tell your doctor and pharmacist because this medication may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause some allergic reactions or other problems.
• If you are breastfeeding, pregnant, or planning to become pregnant and using the Silver Sulfadiazine Cream then tell your doctor and pharmacist because this medication is only using when needed and especially when your pregnancy delivery date is near you can not use this medication because it would be very harmful to your new unborn baby.
• If you are planning for surgery then tell your doctor and dentist.

What are the side effects of Silver Sulfadiazine cream?

Peoples that are using this medication have some serious side effects because this medication only using in serious side effects. Don’t use this medication without your doctor’s prescription, Doctors will suggest you this medication by judging the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. If you have any irritation, burning, or stinging, then firstly stop using it and talk to your doctor.

Some common side effects of Silver Sulfadiazine cream:

• You’ll feel burning on the treated skin.
• You’ll feel pain on the treated skin.
• You’ll feel itching on the treated skin.
• Skin and mucous membranes can become blue/grey in color.

Some serious side effects of Silver Sulfadiazine cream:

• You’ll feel fever.
• You’ll feel sore throat.
• You’ll feel unusual bleeding or bruising.
• You’ll feel blood in urine.
• You’ll feel aching joints.
• You’ll feel yellowing of the skin or eyes.
• You’ll feel unusual weakness or tiredness.
• You’ll feel skin rash.

If you see some serious side effects then contact your healthcare professionals right away. And this is not the final list of side effects if you some other side effects then don’t ignore them contact your doctor or pharmacist these side effects could be very harmful. 

Interactions of Silver Sulfadiazine Cream

When you’re using this medication and at the same time you’re using some other drugs and other products like herbal and so on. The effects of this medication will change and that may increase the risk of some other senior side effects or maybe this medication doesn’t work properly.  Your doctor and pharmacists will guide you on how to use this medication or how to manage the interaction of this drug with other drugs or medication.

If you want the best care through your doctor or pharmacists then tell all the things and products you are using like prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products before starting the treatment with this medication. When you are using this medication then make sure that do not change the dosage of any other medicines that you are using without your doctor’s approval.

Some of the product can interact:

• Skin and Cimetidine products that contain sodium sulfacetamide
• Enzyme products like Collagenase, Papain, Trypsin used to remove dead skin/tissue from wounds.

Make a list of all the products you use because this document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Always remember to show this list to your doctor and pharmacists.

What can I do if I forget a dose?

In case you forgot to take the medicine and if it is near the time of your next dose then we suggest you please skip that dose and take it at the next dose at the regular time. Don’t take the dose at irregular times it made your dose double and it would be harmful to you. 

What about the storage and disposal of this medication?

You should have disposed of all the medication those are unneeded in a special way to ensure that children, pets, and other people can’t consume them. You can not flush them or pour them into the drain. You can return them to the pharmacist or the best way is that you can take back the program for returning your medicines.

Store this medication at room temperature and kept them away from the light or excessive heat and moisture. And put them away from the reach of the pets and children, we suggest you put them in a tightly closed container in which they came.

What other information should I know?

Silver Sulfadiazine is created only for external uses only, don’t apply Silver Sulfadiazine to your eyes, nose, or mouth it could harmful to these parts of the body. Ensure that don’t apply dressings, bandages, cosmetics, lotions, or other skin medications to the affected area until your doctor will suggest.

It is very important to tell your pharmacist about all your prescriptions and nonprescription you were taking and make a list of them and carry the list all time it would help you in case of emergencies. When you meet or visit your doctor you should bring the list its important to it you doctor.

And ensure that no one is taking your medicine or no one had them.

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