It is no secret to anyone that semi-synthetic antibiotics have a wide spectrum of action. Such drugs are used to treat various inflammatory and infectious diseases. But before prescribing such a medication, the doctor should recommend the patient to undergo a medical examination. This is the only way to understand which antibiotic will be effective in the treatment of a particular disease.
For the treatment of the genitourinary system, as well as the respiratory tract, Cefotaxime injections are actively used. Features of this drug, its contraindications, dosage and route of administration, we will consider a little further.
Composition, description, form and packaging of the medicine
What are the ingredients of Cefotaxime? Injections (for children, the dosage of this agent is established individually) include such an active substance as cefotaxime (sodium salt).
The preparation itself is a white or yellowish powder, which is used to prepare a solution intended for intravenous or intramuscular injection.
The medication can be purchased in glass bottles, packaged in cardboard packaging.
Pharmacological properties
Do you know what cefotaxime is? Instructions for use (injections for children - not an easy test, but what if this need is ripe?) States that for small patients, the drug is prescribed with extreme caution, because it is a semi-synthetic antibiotic. Its active substance belongs to the third generation cephalosporins.
The drug is used parenterally. It is active against gram-positive flora, as well as gram-negative microorganisms, which are highly resistant to aminoglycosides, sulfonamides and penicillin.
The principle of antimicrobial action of this drug is based on its ability to inhibit the activity of transpeptidase. This occurs due to blocking of peptidoglycan.
Kinetic features of the drug
How is cefotaxime absorbed? Annotation (injections is the only form of the medication mentioned) indicates that after intramuscular administration, the highest concentration of the drug in the blood is noted after 35 minutes. Approximately 27-40% of the active substance binds to plasma proteins.
The bactericidal effect of the drug lasts for 12 hours. The drug is found in the gallbladder, myocardium, bone and soft tissues.
It can not be said that the active component of this drug is able to penetrate the placenta, as well as determined in pleural, peritoneal, synovial, cerebrospinal and pericardial fluids.
About 90% of the drug is excreted in the urine.
With intramuscular administration, the half-life of the drug is 60-90 minutes, and with intravenous injection - 1 hour. A partially active ingredient is excreted along with bile. Cumulation of the drug is not observed.
Indications for use
What diseases should the cefotaxime antibiotic be used for? Instructions for use (injections, the price of which is indicated below, should be prescribed only by a doctor) states that this medication is indicated in the presence of infectious diseases.
It is very often used for the following pathologies of the respiratory system:
- pneumonia;
- pleurisy;
- abscesses;
- bronchitis.
Also, the tool in question is effective in:
- bacterial meningitis;
- endocarditis;
- postoperative complications;
- septicemia;
- soft tissue and bone infections;
- Lyme disease;
- diseases of the urinary tract, throat, ear, nose, kidneys;
- joint and bone infections;
- abdominal infections;
- infections caused by immunodeficiency.
It should also be noted that Cefotaxim injections are often prescribed to prevent infections that developed after surgical interventions (including urological, obstetric and gynecological, on the digestive tract, etc.).
Contraindications to the use of the drug
About how to dilute the injection of “Cefotaxime”, we will tell a little lower. It should be noted that this tool does not have a very long list of contraindications. According to the instructions, such a medication is not prescribed for:
- bleeding
- pregnancy
- individual hypersensitivity to the active component;
- enterocolitis (including a history).
Can a cefotaxime solution be administered to a child? Injections to children (reviews on the effectiveness of the mentioned medicine will be presented at the end of the article) are allowed to be done only after the patient reaches the age of 2.5 years (for IM administration).
With extreme caution, the medication is prescribed for newborn babies during breastfeeding (since the drug is excreted in small amounts with breast milk), as well as in the presence of chronic renal failure and UC (including a history).
In case of pathology of the renal and hepatic systems, the patient needs to undergo an additional medical examination in order to obtain an opinion on the absence of contraindications to antibiotic therapy.
The drug "Cefotaxime": instructions for use (injections)
How to breed powder correctly? To answer this question, we turn to the attached instructions. It describes detailed methods for preparing injection solutions.
So, for intravenous administration (injection) of the drug, 1 g of powder is diluted with 4 ml of water for injection (sterile). The finished medication is administered slowly over 4-7 minutes.
For intravenous infusion, 1-2 g of powder is diluted with 50 or 100 ml of solvent. As it is used, a 0.9% solution of sodium chloride or a 5% solution of glucose (dextrose). The duration of this administration is 55-65 minutes.
For intramuscular administration of a drug, 1 g of powder is dissolved in 4 ml of solvent. As it is used water for injection or a 1% solution of lidocaine.
Thus, the drug in question can be administered intravenously drip or jet, as well as intramuscularly.
The medication is usually prescribed for adult patients, as well as adolescents over 12 years old with a body weight of more than 50 kg. In case of acute need, it is used to treat young children.
Drug dosage
Now you know how to administer Cefotaxime injections. But what is their dosage? It depends on the indications and severity of the disease.
For infections of the genitourinary tract, as well as for uncomplicated infections, the drug is administered intravenously or intramuscularly, 1 g every 9-12 hours.
For moderate infections, 1-2 g every 12 hours.
In uncomplicated acute gonorrhea, the medication is prescribed intramuscularly in a dosage of 1 g (once).
In severe infections (for example, with meningitis), the drug is used intravenously 2 g every 6-9 hours. The maximum dose per day is 12 g. The duration of therapy is established individually.
To prevent the development of infectious diseases before surgery, the patient is given a single dose of Cefotaxime at a dose of 1 g during initial anesthesia. If necessary, the injection is repeated after 6-12 hours.
With a caesarean section, in the process of applying clamps to the umbilical vein, the drug is administered intravenously in an amount of 1 g. Then, after 6-12 hours, an additional injection is made in the same dose.
Instruction for children
If necessary, “Cefotaxime” injections for newborns, as well as premature babies under the age of one week, are prescribed intravenously in the amount of 50 mg per kg of weight every 12 hours. At the age of 1-4 weeks, the drug is administered in the same dose, but every 9 hours.
For children older than 2.5 years with a body weight of less than 50 kg, the medication is prescribed intramuscularly or intravenously in an amount of 50-180 mg per kg of body weight (in 4 or 6 administrations).
In severe infectious diseases, including meningitis, the daily dosage of the drug is increased to 100-200 mg per kg. In this case, injections are carried out intramuscularly or intravenously in an amount of 4-6 times a day. The maximum dose per day is 12 g.
Side effects
Against the background of the use of the drug “Cefotaxime”, local reactions such as:
- soreness with intramuscular injection;
- phlebitis, developing with intravenous infusion.
The following adverse effects may also be noted:
- cholestatic jaundice, pseudomembranous colitis;
- hepatitis, nausea, hypoprothrombinemia;
- increased ALT, AST, hemolytic anemia;
- diarrheal syndrome, decreased platelet count;
- vomiting, neutropenia.
In rare cases, allergic responses are possible (an increase in the number of eosinophils, Quincke's edema, and skin itching), as well as interstitial nephritis and candidiasis.
When observing other negative effects, the help of a doctor and self-medication withdrawal are required.
Price and analogues of antibiotic
The cost of the drug in question depends on the margin of the network and the region of sales. On average, vials (5 pieces of 1 g) can be bought for 160-170 rubles.
If necessary, this medication can be replaced with such similar means as Klaforan, Tsefabol and Cefosin.
However, it should be noted immediately that the use of these drugs is possible only after consulting a doctor.
Antibiotic Reviews
In pediatric practice, this medication is often prescribed as an antimicrobial agent. As a rule, this is done in cases where other antibiotics do not give a positive therapeutic effect.
Consumer reviews about Cefotaxim injections are more positive. Patient reports confirm its high antimicrobial efficacy. However, one can meet such responses, which directly indicate the presence of a large number of negative reactions observed after treatment (bloating, dysbiosis, colic and others).