CEFIXIME TABLETS
Cefixime is an antibiotic useful to treat a number of bacterial infections. This includes otitis media, strep throat, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, gonorrhea, and Lyme disease. For gonorrhea typically only one dose is required. In the United States it is a second line treatment to ceftriaxone for gonorrhea.
Pharmacology &m.o.a:
Cefixime, an antibiotic, is a third-generation cephalosporin like ceftriaxone and cefotaxime. Cefixime is highly stable in the presence of beta-lactamase enzymes. As a result, many organisms resistant to penicillins and some cephalosporins due to the presence of beta-lactamases, may be susceptible to cefixime. The antibacterial effect of cefixime results from inhibition of mucopeptide synthesis in the bacterial cell wall.
Therapeutic action:
– Third-generation cephalosporin antibacterial
Indications:
– Typhoid fever
– Acute cystitis in girls over 2 years, pregnant women and lactating women
– Acute pyelonephritis in adults
– Cervicitis and urethritis due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae (in combination with a treatment for chlamydia)
Forms and strengths:
– 200 mg tablet
– 100 mg/5 ml powder for oral suspension, to be reconstituted with filtered water
Dosage:
– Typhoid fever
Child: 10 mg/kg 2 times daily (max. 400 mg daily)
Adult: 200 mg 2 times daily
– Acute cystitis in girls over 2 years
8 mg/kg once daily
– Acute cystitis in pregnant and lactating women, acute pyelonephritis in adult
200 mg 2 times daily
– Cervicitis and urethritis due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Child: 8 mg/kg single dose
Adult: 400 mg single dose
Duration:
– Typhoid fever: 7 days; acute cystitis: 3 days for girls and 5 days for adults; acute pyelonephritis: 10 to 14 days
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions:
– Do not administer to patients with allergy to cephalosporins.
– Administer with caution to penicillin-allergic patients (cross-sensitivity may occur) and in patients with severe renal impairment (reduce dosage).
– May cause: gastrointestinal disturbances (especially diarrhoea), headache, dizziness, allergic reactions (rash, pruritus, fever). In the event of allergic reaction, stop treatment immediately.
– Pregnancy: no contra-indication
– Breast-feeding: no contra-indication
Remarks:
– Cefixime is also used in the second-line treatment of shigellosis (child: 8 mg/kg once daily; adult: 400 mg once daily) for 5 days.
– Also comes in 400 mg capsules.
– Storage: below 25 °C -
For the oral suspension (powder or reconstituted suspension): follow manufacturer’s instructions.
