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spironolactone (acne) vs trimethoprim

Side-by-side comparison of spironolactone (acne) and trimethoprim. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Examples of drugs that can increase potassium include: • ACE inhibitors • angiotensin receptor blockers • non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) • heparin and low molecular weight heparin • trimethoprim 7.2 Lithium Like other diuretics, ALDACTONE reduces the renal clearance of lithium, thus increasing the risk of lithium toxicity.

Recommendation: Your doctor should monitor your potassium levels and may need to adjust your treatment plan.

Drug Class
spironolactone (acne) Anti-Androgen
trimethoprim Dihydrofolate Reductase Inhibitor
Type
spironolactone (acne) Prescription
trimethoprim Prescription
Summary
spironolactone (acne)

Spironolactone (Aldactone) is a medicine that helps remove extra fluid from your body and lower blood pressure. It belongs to a class of drugs called anti-androgens.

trimethoprim

This medicine contains sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim. It is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.

What It Treats
spironolactone (acne)

Spironolactone can treat heart failure by helping you live longer, managing swelling, and reducing hospital visits. It also treats high blood pressure, which lowers the risk of strokes and heart attacks. This medicine can also manage swelling caused by liver problems or a kidney problem called nephrotic syndrome when other treatments don't work well enough. It can also treat primary hyperaldosteronism, a condition where your body makes too much aldosterone.

trimethoprim

This medicine can treat urinary tract infections, ear infections in children, and bronchitis in adults. It also treats shigellosis, a type of diarrhea. It can also treat or prevent Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, and treat traveler's diarrhea.

How It Works
spironolactone (acne)

Spironolactone blocks a hormone called aldosterone in your body. Aldosterone causes your body to hold onto sodium and water. By blocking aldosterone, spironolactone helps your body get rid of extra fluid and lower blood pressure.

trimethoprim

This medicine works by stopping bacteria from making folic acid. Bacteria need folic acid to grow and multiply. By blocking folic acid production, the medicine kills the bacteria.

Common Side Effects
spironolactone (acne)
  • Breast enlargement in men
  • Changes in periods
  • Decreased sex drive
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
trimethoprim
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Loss of appetite
  • Skin rash
  • Hives
FAERS Reports
spironolactone (acne)

No adverse event reports.

trimethoprim
  • Nausea 945
  • Diarrhoea 848
  • Headache 835
  • Malaise 815
  • Pyrexia 721
Serious Warnings
spironolactone (acne)

Spironolactone can cause high potassium levels in your blood. Your doctor will check your potassium levels regularly, especially if you have kidney problems or take other medicines that can raise potassium. This medicine can also cause low blood pressure or make kidney problems worse. Tell your doctor if you have liver problems, as this medicine can cause problems with brain function.

trimethoprim

Rarely, sulfonamide drugs like this one have caused severe reactions. These include Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, liver damage, and blood problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have a fever, rash, blisters, mouth sores, or signs of infection.

Pregnancy
spironolactone (acne)

Spironolactone may affect the sex organs of a baby boy if taken during pregnancy. Talk to your doctor about the risks if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if spironolactone passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor about breastfeeding while taking this medicine.

trimethoprim

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. This medicine may not be safe for your baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while breastfeeding.

How to Read This spironolactone (acne) vs trimethoprim Comparison

spironolactone (acne) is classified in the Anti-Androgen drug class, while trimethoprim sits within the Dihydrofolate Reductase Inhibitor class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, spironolactone (acne) has 0 submissions while trimethoprim has 4,164. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to both medications can cause potassium to build up in your body. this combination increases the risk of a condition called hyperkalemia, or high potassium.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between spironolactone (acne) and trimethoprim - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.