The drug "Cefotaxime" is considered a very common antibiotic. The medication has a fairly wide range of effects, belongs to the category of cephalosporins of the latest generation. The latter indicates not only its high efficiency, but also its safety. In this regard, the medicine "Cefotaxime" is used in pediatrics and is prescribed even for newborns.
A medicine is produced in the form of lyophilized powder (dried by special technology) for the preparation of a solution for injection (intravenous and intramuscular).
Describing the medicine "Cefotaxime", the instruction indicates its bactericidal properties. The drug is active against gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, which are resistant to other antibiotic agents.
Medication "Cefotaxime". Indications for use
The drug is prescribed for bacterial infections in the severe phase, provoked by microorganisms sensitive to it. Such diseases, in particular, include infections of the ENT organs, genitourinary and respiratory systems, central nervous system (meningitis), joints and bones, soft tissues and skin. In addition, the medicine "Cefotaxime" instruction recommends for burns, sepsis, peritonitis, chlamydia, salmonellosis, gonorrhea, Lyme disease. The medication is used to prevent infections after surgery (on the digestive tract, obstetric, gynecological, urological).
The drug "Cefotaxime" instruction does not recommend for hypersensitivity, including to other cephalosporins and penicillins. Medication is contraindicated during pregnancy.
With caution, medication is prescribed to newborns, nursing patients, patients with chronic renal failure, ulcerative colitis (in the anamnesis, including).
The drug "Cefotaxime" can provoke some negative reactions. In particular, skin itching, hives, fever, chills, rash, eosinophilia, bronchospasm, angioedema are related to adverse events. Undesirable consequences include dizziness, headache, pain along the vein (with intravenous injection), infiltration with intramuscular injection. The drug can cause dysbiosis, pseudomembranous colitis, diarrhea, nausea, flatulence, vomiting, abdominal pain, and liver dysfunction. In rare cases, glossitis, stomatitis are noted.
Overdose manifests itself in the form of convulsive syndrome, neuromuscular irritability, tremor. With the introduction of a large amount of medication, encephalopathy develops. In such cases, symptomatic treatment is indicated.
The medicine "Cefotaxime". Dosage
For adults and children with a body weight of fifty kilograms or more for infections in the urinary tract and uncomplicated diseases, one gram is prescribed every eight to twelve hours.
To eliminate uncomplicated acute gonorrhea, the drug "Cefotaxime" instruction recommends to be administered once intramuscularly in an amount of 1 g.
For moderate infections, the dosage is 1-2 grams every twelve hours intravenously or intramuscularly. With meningitis and other severe pathologies, it is advisable to introduce two grams into the vein every 4-8 hours. A day is allowed no more than twelve grams.
Dosages of the drug for children (including newborns) are determined by the attending physician in accordance with the symptoms of the disease and the patient's condition.
special instructions
At the beginning of treatment, the development of pseudomembranous colitis, which is manifested by severe and prolonged diarrhea, is likely. When this symptom occurs, the use of the cefotaxime drug is discontinued, adequate therapy is prescribed, including the drug Metronidazole or Vancomycin.
With prolonged therapy (more than ten days), the amount of blood components is monitored.