Treatment of bacterial vaginosis (BV)
There are a number of treatment options available for BV, including oral prescription drugs and prescription vaginal creams and gels. Unlike intravaginal treatments, oral antibiotic therapies treat the entire reproductive tract, where BV has been shown to migrate.
There are currently no over-the-counter (OTC) treatments for BV. The only effective therapies are antibiotics that can be prescribed by your doctor. These include tinidazole, metronidazole, and clindamycin. One of these drugs, tinidazole (Tindamax®) is also indicated for the treatment of trichomoniasis and is the only therapy available that can treat both conditions at the same time.
Therapy that works without worry
What should you expect from your Tindamax® prescription? The answer is simple: peace of mind. That's because Tindamax® combines the convenience of easy oral dosing with the confidence of a comfortable, effective BV therapy.
No messy creams or applicators
Topical vaginal treatments for BV require creams and special applicators that can be messy and inconvenient. Tindamax® is an easy-to-swallow oral therapy you take just once or twice a day, depending on the dosing schedule your doctor has prescribed.
Not surprisingly, a recent survey found that oral BV therapy is the treatment more women prefer!1
| 2 g/2-day dosing4 x 500 mg tablets once daily for 2 days, taken with food | 1 g/5-day dosing2 x 500 mg tablets once daily for 5 days, taken with food |
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Low risk of side effects
Tindamax® effectively treats BV with a low incidence of GI side effects. In fact, a large study comparing Tindamax® to a placebo medication confirmed that Tindamax® has a low risk of gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as low incidence of fatigue and headache.2 The most commonly prescribed oral therapy for BV, metronidazole, is frequently associated with unpleasant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.3-5
The advantage of systemic treatment
Studies have shown that the pathogens that cause vaginal infections such as BV can migrate to the urinary tract as well as to other areas of the reproductive system.6 Tindamax® is a systemic treatment that is absorbed quickly and efficiently in your body's tissues. Unlike topical vaginal creams, systemic treatments have been shown to help reduce the risks of pathogen migration from the vaginal environment.
A recent survey confirmed that 84% of patients prefer oral vs. vaginal cream therapy.1
Important Safety Information
WARNING: POTENTIAL RISK FOR CARCINOGENICITY
Carcinogenicity has been seen in mice and rats treated chronically with metronidazole, another nitroimidazole agent. Although such data have not been reported for tinidazole, the two drugs are structurally related and have similar biologic effects. Its use should be reserved for the conditions described in INDICATIONS AND USAGE.
Contraindications
- Prior history of hypersensitivity to tinidazole or other nitroimidazole derivatives
- First trimester of pregnancy
- Nursing mothers, unless breast-feeding is interrupted during tinidazole therapy and for 3 days following the last dose
Warnings and Precautions
- Seizures and neuropathy have been reported. Discontinue Tindamax if abnormal neurologic signs develop
- Vaginal candidiasis may develop with Tindamax and require treatment with an antifungal agent
- Use Tindamax with caution in patients with blood dyscrasias. Tindamax may produce transient leukopenia and neutropenia
Adverse Reactions
Most common adverse reactions for a single 2 g dose of tinidazole (incidence >1%) are metallic/bitter taste, nausea, weakness/fatigue/malaise, dyspepsia/cramps/epigastric discomfort, vomiting, anorexia, headache, dizziness and constipation. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Mission Pharmacal Company at 1-800-298-1087 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch
This material is intended to provide basic information. Patients should discuss all medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment with their healthcare provider.
Please see full Prescribing Information
- Data on file. Mission Pharmacal Company.
- Livengood CH 3rd, Ferris DG, Wiesenfeld HC, Hillier SL, Soper DE, Nyirjesy P, Marrazzo J, Chatwani A, Fine P, Sobel J, Taylor SN, Wood L, Kanalas JJ. Effectiveness of two tinidazole regimens in treatment of bacterial vaginosis: a randomized controlled trial. Obstet Gynecol. 2007 Aug;110(2 Pt 1):302-9.
- Manorama HT, Shenoy DR. Single-dose oral treatment of vaginal trichomoniasis with tinidazole and metronidazole. J Int Med Res. 1978;6(1):46-9.
- Anjaeyulu R, Gupte SA, Desai DB. Single-dose treatment of trichomonal vaginitis: a comparison of tinidazole and metronidazole. J Int Med Res. 1977;5(6):438-41.
- Weidenbach A, Leix H. Treatment of trichomonal vaginitis with a single dose of tinidazole. Curr Med Res Opin. 1974;2(3):147-52.
- Sobel JD. Vaginitis. N Engl J Med. 1997 Dec 25;337(26):1896-903.
For Health Professionals
Only Tindamax® is approved to treat both bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis (TV).
Clinical Insight
Oral vs vaginal cream therapy: Patient preference for oral dosing is demonstrated to be 84%. More»
Beyond BV
Tindamax® may be prescribed for other infections including:
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