What is the difference between minocycline and doxycycline

However, the CDC did not definitively recommend alternative therapy should doxycycline be entirely unavailable [ 1 ]. Therefore, we pose that it is worthy to consider minocycline's place in therapy for Rocky Mountain spotted fever—given its lethality—in the scenario of complete doxycycline unavailability.

Older and in vitro data demonstrate that tetracycline may be a potential alternative to doxycycline [ 78—80 ]. To our knowledge, there are no reports of increasing resistance of Rickettsia rickettsii to any tetracycline antibiotic.

Considering minocycline and doxycycline's similar pharmacokinetic and susceptibility profiles, we portend minocycline to be a potential alternative, despite the dearth of clinical data.

Important in this consideration is that further alternatives may be considerably less desirable. The CDC mentions the potential use of chloramphenicol as an alternative to doxycycline [ 1 ]. However, the CDC rightly notes that chloramphenicol is associated with a greater mortality risk compared with treatment regimens that include a tetracycline.

This fact is supported by 2 large surveillance studies that demonstrate chloramphenicol monotherapy to be statistically associated with fatal disease compared with treatment with any tetracycline as monotherapy or with any tetracycline in combination with chloramphenicol [ 81 , 82 ].

Unfortunately, these studies did not delineate the different tetracycline agents used. Considering the lethality of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and the potential inferiority of chloramphenicol monotherapy, we recommend treatment with either minocycline or tetracycline in combination with chloramphenicol over chloramphenicol monotherapy in the absence of doxycycline.

The limitations of these data are significant and more research—including observational and retrospective reports—is greatly needed. We make this tenuous recommendation because there is the potential for this circumstance to occur and no direct guidance from the CDC or other authorities.

In conclusion, drug shortages interfere with the management of infectious diseases and necessitate the use of less familiar alternatives. This systematic review supports the use of minocycline as a substitute for doxycycline in SSTIs, an alternative in the outpatient treatment of CAP in young otherwise healthy patients with more evidence in macrolide-resistant M pneumoniae , an alternative to doxycycline for Lyme disease prophylaxis should prophylaxis be strongly desired and doxycycline is unavailable , and a last alternative in select rickettsial diseases should doxycycline be entirely unavailable.

Given the myriad of indications for which doxycycline can be used, further research, review, and guidance are needed to prepare practitioners, institutions, and health systems to provide adequate care in the face of tetracycline shortages and antibiotic shortages in general.

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the United States government. Potential conflicts of interest. All authors: No reported conflicts.

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Sign In or Create an Account. Sign In. Advanced Search. Search Menu. Article Navigation. Doxycycline has also been proven effective in community-acquired pneumonia. The following list may not include all uses of minocycline and doxycycline. Consult your healthcare provider with questions about specific use.

The effectiveness of minocycline or doxycycline is relative to the indication being compared. One of the most common mutual indications for these two drugs is acne rosacea. A randomized controlled trial , published in , sought to compare the efficacy and safety of these two drugs in the treatment of rosacea. Eighty patients with mild to severe rosacea were randomized to either doxycycline 40 mg or minocycline mg.

The results of the study found that improvement scores were significantly better for the minocycline group. The minocycline group also had fewer relapses in symptoms and had a longer remission period. There was no significant difference in safety between the two drugs. A systematic review of literature was done to also compare and evaluate the safety and adverse events between minocycline and doxycycline.

The review looked at 15 years of data. Doxycycline was prescribed three times more often than minocycline. While adverse events for either drug are relatively low, doxycycline was associated with fewer adverse events than minocycline.

Minocycline is a prescription drug that is typically covered by both commercial and Medicare prescription drug plans. Doxycycline is a prescription drug that is also typically covered by commercial and Medicare prescription drug plans. Minocycline and doxycycline each have a tendency to cause gastrointestinal side effects including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and anorexia.

These side effects can be difficult to tolerate over longer periods of time and may be responsible for premature termination of therapy due to intolerability. Minocycline has been associated with rare instances of liver failure and hepatitis. Patients with known hepatic impairment should avoid minocycline or be monitored closely while taking.

Doxycycline has been associated with the rare but serious adverse event of Stevens-Johnson syndrome. It is a very serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. The following list is not intended to be a complete list of adverse events.

Please consult a pharmacist, doctor, or another medical professional for a complete list of possible side effects. Minocycline and doxycycline are both antibiotics from the same class of tetracyclines, and their list of potential drug interactions is similar. Common antacids containing aluminum hydroxide, such as Gaviscon, may impair the absorption of minocycline and doxycycline. This can lead to a decreased efficacy of minocycline and doxycycline. To avoid this interaction, antacids should not be taken with these antibiotics.

Ideally, there would be at least two hours between the administration of an antacid and either minocycline or doxycycline. Tetracycline antibiotics such as minocycline and doxycycline interfere with the bactericidal action of another common antibiotic class, penicillins.

This class includes common antibiotics such as amoxicillin and penicillin. There are instances where patients may need to take more than one antibiotic at a time, and it is important to be aware of this interaction when selecting therapies. The following list is not intended to be a complete list of drug interactions. It is best to consult your provider or pharmacist for a complete list. Minocycline and doxycycline are categorized by the Food and Drug Administration FDA as a category D drug, meaning that there is positive evidence of potential fetal risk.

These drugs should be used only when there is a life-threatening risk to the mother. There is evidence of a negative impact on the skeletal development of the fetus. The use of tetracycline antibiotics during tooth development may cause permanent discoloration of the teeth to a yellow, gray, or brown color. This effect is most common with long-term use, though it has been noted with short-term use as well.

When possible, the use of tetracycline antibiotics should be avoided during the last half of pregnancy through the age of 8 whenever possible. This is characterized by rash, fever, and organ injury, typically liver and kidney. Some instances can be fatal.

Tetracyclines have been associated with photosensitivity. Patients are more prone to sunburn when taking these medications and should take precautions such as sun avoidance, shields, and sunscreen. Intracranial hypertension IH has also been associated with the use of tetracyclines such as minocycline and doxycycline. Women who are of childbearing age who are overweight have a higher risk of IH. Minocycline is a prescription tetracycline antibiotic used most commonly to treat skin conditions such as acne vulgaris and acne rosacea, respiratory tract infections, urinary tract infections, and certain sexually transmitted infections.

Minocycline is available in tablets and capsules in a variety of immediate and extended-release formulations. Doxycycline is a prescription tetracycline antibiotic commonly used in acne vulgaris, acne rosacea, respiratory infections, and non-gonococcal urethritis and cervicitis.

Doxycycline is available in tablets and capsules in a variety of immediate and extended-release formulations. Minocycline and doxycycline are both tetracycline antibiotics, but they are not the same drug. They do have slightly different bacterial coverage, which makes them each useful in some unique infections.

When evaluating patients being treated specifically for acne rosacea, one clinical review suggested that minocycline was associated with a longer remission of symptoms. A separate literature review suggests that doxycycline may be associated with fewer adverse events than minocycline.