In the article, we will compare the cefotaxime and ceftriaxone preparations.
For the treatment of many diseases, antibiotics are often used, which are designed to quickly destroy pathogenic bacteria. Many people know about penicillin preparations, but not everyone is aware of cephalosporins. Therefore, when a doctor prescribes an antibiotic from this category, many people have a question about what is better to choose - “Cefotaxime”? Ceftriaxone? And are they not the same medicine?
Ceftriaxone and indications
This is a third generation cephalosporin antibiotic, it has a wide range of effects. The active substance of this tool is ceftriaxone in the form of disodium salt. It is used to treat infections that are caused by sensitive microscopic organisms and is prescribed in the following cases:
- Infections of the abdominal organs (peritonitis, inflammatory disease of the digestive system).
- For diseases of the respiratory tract, joints, soft tissues and skin.
- Some other diseases (sepsis along with meningitis, Lyme disease), as well as for the prevention of infections in the postoperative period. Available in powder form for the preparation of injectable solutions.
Cefotaxime
As the instructions for the use of Cefotaxim injections indicate, this antibiotic also belongs to the third generation cephalosporin series and has a bactericidal effect. The active component of the drug is cefotaxime sodium. The drug is available in the form of powder for injection.
To understand what is stronger than Cefotaxime or Ceftriaxone, you need to consider the characteristics of the drugs.
General characteristics of drugs
Often, these medications are prescribed for people who suffer from tonsillitis, sinusitis, influenza, bronchitis, pneumonia, syphilis cystitis and prostatitis. Expected efficiency is achieved quite quickly. Ceftriaxone is often used in cases of serious illness and after surgery. They prevent the active reproduction of pathogenic microflora. This drug is available in powder form. Immediately before injections, an injection solution is prepared from it. The input may be intravenous or intramuscular.
Long-term treatment with Ceftriaxone can lead to the formation of sand in the kidneys. At the end of the course, it is excreted independently from the body. In severe situations, the use of specialized drugs to cleanse the body may be prescribed.
"Cefotaxime" is able to prevent the active reproduction of pathogenic microscopic organisms, destroying pathogens. It is advisable to prick only in the presence of infectious diseases that occur in severe form. The active component quickly spreads to absolutely all organs of the body.
Cefotaxime and indications for use
According to the instructions for use, Cefotaxime injections are prescribed for many infections caused by bacteria that are insensitive to penicillin. It is prescribed in the same cases as its competitor, but the drug can also be used to treat gonorrhea, salmonella and endocarditis.
What is the difference between cefotaxime and ceftriaxone?
Drug Comparison
These drugs have a lot in common, and even their name makes a person confused. What is similar in them? Both drugs are cephalosporin antibiotics, which are attributed to the third generation. They are active against the same microscopic organisms, therefore, they have the same indications. Their release form is also identical - in the form of powder for injection, that is, therapy is carried out only through injections.
Breastfeeding during treatment with these antibiotics is recommended to be temporarily stopped, since cephalosporins can pass through breast milk and contribute to the violation of intestinal microflora and allergic skin rashes. The main contraindication for these drugs is hypersensitivity to the ingredients. It is used with caution in case of kidney failure and on the background of ulcerative colitis.
Both antibiotics are used to treat children and newborns, including. True, Ceftriaxone would be preferable in this case. Possible side effects are also the same: problems with the digestive system, which is expressed by diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, hepatitis, cholestatic jaundice, allergic reactions, hypoprothrombinemia, interstitial nephritis, candidiasis, phlebitis and pain at the injection site. During therapy, you can not take alcohol.
In case of overdose, convulsions with overexcitation of the nervous system are possible. True, there is no special antidote, and the treatment is symptomatic. Both of these products are produced in Russia. The price for them is also almost no different. Cefotaxime, however, is slightly cheaper than its pharmaceutical competitor. One bottle will cost thirty rubles. And the same amount of Ceftriaxone costs a little more.
What are the differences?
As can be seen from the foregoing, the drugs presented have the same scope. In this regard, patients often consider the antibiotics in question interchangeably.
True, despite the identity of these drugs, there are differences between Cefotaxime and Ceftriaxone:
- The active ingredients in these medicines differ in chemical composition.
- "Ceftriaxone" is strictly contraindicated in women in the initial trimester of pregnancy, in other periods it is prescribed with great care. Its competitor is prohibited during the entire period of pregnancy, as well as in children under two and a half years.
- "Ceftriaxone" according to statistics, can be more easily tolerated by patients and is much less likely to cause side effects.
- “Cefotaxime” is characterized by weaker effects, therefore, with the development of complex infections, its competitor is preferred. It is enough to use it once a day, while the number of injections of “Cefotaxime” reaches six times.
- Ceftriaxone interferes with the normal absorption process of vitamin K, which prevents the development of osteoporosis, and prolonged use of this antibiotic provokes severe stagnation of bile in the bladder, which negatively affects the functions of the liver. Reception of this cephalosporin can also cause pseudo-cholelithiasis. "Cefotaxime" is devoid of such side effects, however, in rare cases, it can contribute to the occurrence of arrhythmia.
- Ceftriaxone has a great effect in the fight against hemophilic bacillus.
- Cefotaxime can be excreted faster from the human body.
What is more effective "Ceftriaxone" or "Cefotaxime"?
The drug "Ceftriaxone" can actively affect microscopic organisms. Only one injection per day with a dosage of no more than two grams will be sufficient. As for "Cefotaxime", in this case the patient will have to give up to six grams, since he has a slightly weaker effect on bacteria.
Can Cefotaxime be replaced with Ceftriaxone? It is better to check with your doctor.
Which one is better?
Only a competent doctor can determine what is suitable for the patient in a particular situation. True, you should be aware that in the treatment of uncomplicated bacterial infections, “Cefotaxime” can be used, while in the presence of severe forms of diseases its effect may not be enough, in this connection, in such cases, “Ceftriaxone” itself will be the best option. And given that intramuscular administration of antibiotics is quite painful, this drug will be a particularly suitable solution, since its use can be limited only once a day.
It is better suited for those patients who have a tendency to an allergic reaction, since it is usually much easier to tolerate. Despite the similarity of medicines, it is not allowed to independently replace one drug with another. It should also be remembered that the joint use of these cephalosporins is strictly prohibited.
Which is better: "Cefotaxime" or "Ceftriaxone" for bronchitis?
Use for bronchitis
This pathology is the most common disease, which, as a rule, is characterized by the formation of various types of inflammatory processes on the walls of the bronchi. The disease alone will not go away, and if you do not start therapy on time, then it can transform into a chronic form. The treatment of this disease occurs through antibiotics, which the doctor selects individually for each.
The dose of a medication for bronchitis directly depends on how much the pathology has mastered the body, as well as on the stage of development of inflammatory processes. Do not forget that the course of therapy should be prescribed only by your doctor. Self-medication with antibiotics can lead to serious complications. Bronchitis in adults is well treated with both of the drugs in question. Thus, in this case, “Cefotaxime” and “Ceftriaxone” may be prescribed depending on the nature and nuances of the pathology in a particular patient.
Thus, during various serious diseases, patients are often prescribed injections of drugs that belong to the third generation cephalosporin antibiotics. For therapy in such situations, "Cefotaxime" and "Ceftriaxone" are usually used, while not everyone can figure out what will be better.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is worth noting that both tools have a similar structure. The list of microscopic organisms on which these drugs act is almost the same. These drugs are not released in tablets, and they enter the body only by injection. During treatment, these drugs cannot be replaced on their own, even despite the large number of common characteristics. This prerogative belongs exclusively to the physician.