Mucosal protectant

Sucralfate: What to Know Before You Take It

Also sold as Carafate

What Sucralfate Is Used For

INDICATIONS AND USAGE Sucralfate tablets are indicated in: Short-term treatment (up to 8 weeks) of active duodenal ulcer. While healing with sucralfate may occur during the first week or two, treatment should be continued for 4 to 8 weeks unless healing has been demonstrated by x-ray or endoscopic examination. Maintenance therapy for duodenal ulcer patients at reduced dosage after healing of acute ulcers.

Contraindications

CONTRAINDICATIONS Sucralfate tablets are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity reactions to the active substance or to any of the excipients.

Sucralfate Drug Interactions (10)

Sucralfate + Furosemide

Simultaneous administration of sucralfate and furosemide tablets may reduce the natriuretic and antihypertensive effects of furosemide.

Moderate interaction

Sucralfate + Levofloxacin

Monitor prothrombin time, INR and watch for bleeding (7.2) Antidiabetic agents Carefully monitor blood glucose (5.13, 7.3) 7.1 Chelation Agents: Antacids, Sucralfate, Metal Cations, Multivitamins While the chelation by divalent cations is less marked than with other fluoroquinolones, concurrent administration of levofloxacin tablets with antacids containing magnesium, or aluminum, as well as sucralfate, metal cations such as iron, and multivitamin preparations with zinc may interfere with the…

Moderate interaction

Sucralfate + Ciprofloxacin

In all case studies to date (cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, digoxin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and ranitidine), dosing the concomitant medication 2 hours before sucralfate eliminated the interaction.

Minor interaction

Sucralfate + Digoxin

John's Wort, sucralfate, sulfasalazine Measure serum digoxin concentrations before initiating concomitant drugs.

Minor interaction

Sucralfate + Ketoconazole

Drug Interactions Some studies have shown that simultaneous sucralfate administration in healthy volunteers reduced the extent of absorption (bioavailability) of single doses of the following: cimetidine, digoxin, fluoroquinolone antibiotics, ketoconazole, l-thyroxine, phenytoin, quinidine, ranitidine, tetracycline, and theophylline.

Minor interaction

Sucralfate + Lansoprazole

Sucralfate Clinical Impact: Decreased and delayed absorption of lansoprazole [ see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] .

Minor interaction

Sucralfate + Levothyroxine

Proton Pump Inhibitors Sucralfate Antacids (e.g., aluminum & magnesium hydroxides, simethicone) Gastric acidity is an essential requirement for adequate absorption of levothyroxine.

Minor interaction

Sucralfate + Naproxen

Antacids and Sucralfate Clinical Impact: Concomitant administration of some antacids (magnesium oxide or aluminum hydroxide) and sucralfate can delay the absorption of naproxen.

Minor interaction

Sucralfate + Phenytoin

Minor interaction

Sucralfate + Warfarin

Subtherapeutic prothrombin times with concomitant warfarin and sucralfate therapy have been reported in spontaneous and published case reports.

Minor interaction

Check Sucralfate against your full medication list in our free Interaction Checker

Most-Reported Side Effects

Based on 23,407 reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports do not prove the drug caused the effect.

nausea2,311fatigue1,767diarrhoea1,736pain1,500headache1,406vomiting1,386dyspnoea1,328drug ineffective1,317off label use1,309dizziness1,059weight decreased1,011abdominal pain1,001

Explore full Sucralfate safety data in our free FDA Safety Explorer

FDA Recalls (4)

Class IIOngoingOct 9, 2025

CGMP Deviations: The recalling firm filed for Chapter 11 on September 30, 2024. As a result, it cannot monitor the quality program and hence cannot assure that products meet the identity, strength, quality, and purity characteristics that they are purported or represented to possess, rendering the products adulterated.

Recalling firm: Amerisource Health Services LLC

Class IIOngoingJul 29, 2025

CGMP Deviations: The recalling firm filed for Chapter 11 in September 2024. As a result, it cannot monitor the quality program and hence cannot assure that products meet the identity, strength, quality, and purity characteristics that they are purported or represented to possess, rendering the products adulterated.

Recalling firm: Amerisource Health Services LLC

Class ITerminatedOct 18, 2023

Microbial Contamination of Non-Sterile Products: identified as Bacillus cereus.

Recalling firm: VistaPharm LLC

Class IITerminatedAug 30, 2023

Superpotent/Subpotent single ingredient Drug: Out of Specification Assay results

Recalling firm: VistaPharm LLC

This information is educational — not medical advice.

This page is provided for general educational purposes and summarizes publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. It is not a substitute for the judgment of a licensed clinician and should not be used to start, stop, or change any medication. It may be incomplete or out of date, and individual circumstances vary. Always talk with your prescriber or pharmacist about your specific medications and health conditions. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.

Considering Sucralfate? Talk to a Provider First

Our board-certified providers can review whether Sucralfate is right for you, check it against your current medications, and prescribe online when appropriate.