Indications/Uses

Used in the treatment of susceptible infections including bone and joint infections, bronchitis, gonorrhea, otitis media, peritonitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, skin and soft tissue infections, and urinary tract infections.

Dosage/Direction for Use

Usual oral dose for adults 250 mg to 500 mg twice daily for respiratory tract infections or 250 mg daily for uncomplicated urinary tract infections or as prescribed by the physician.

Overdosage

Signs and symptoms: Overdosage of cephalosporins can cause cerebral irritation leading to convulsions.
Treatment: Serum levels of Cefuroxime can be reduced by haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

Administration

May be taken with or without food.

Contraindications

Hypersensitivity to cephalosporins.

Patients with known hypersensitivity to cephalosporin antibiotics.

Special Precautions

Cefuroxime should not be given to patients who are hypersensitive to it or to other cephalosporins. About 20% of penicillin-sensitive patients may also be allergic to cephalosporins although the true incidence is uncertain; great care should be taken if cefuroxime is to be given to such patients. Care is also necessary in patients with a history of allergy.
Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machines: As this medicine may cause dizziness, patients should be warned to be cautious when driving or operating machinery.

Use In Pregnancy & Lactation

Cefuroxime should not be given to patients who are hypersensitive to it or to other cephalosporins. About 20% of penicillin-sensitive patients may also be allergic to cephalosporins although the true incidence is uncertain; great care should be taken if cefuroxime is to be given to such patients. Care is also necessary in patients with a history of allergy.
Effects on Ability to Drive and Use Machines: As this medicine may cause dizziness, patients should be warned to be cautious when driving or operating machinery.

Adverse Reactions

The most common are hypersensitivity reactions, including skin rashes, urticaria, eosinophilia, fever, reactions resembling serum sickness, and anaphylaxis. There may be a positive response to the Coombs' test although haemolytic anaemia rarely occurs. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia have occasionally been reported. Agranulocytosis has been associated rarely with some cephalosporins. Bleeding complications related to hypoprothrombinaemia and/or platelet dysfunction have occurred especially with cephalosporins and cephamycins having an N-methylthiotetrazole side chain, including cefamandole, cefbuperazone, cefmenoxime, cefmetazole, cefonicid, cefoperazone, ceforanide, cefotetan, cefpiramide, and latamoxef. The presence of a methylthiadiazolethiol side-chain, as in cefazolin, or an N-methylthiotriazine ring, as ceftriaxone, might also be associated with such bleeding disorders.

Drug Interactions

Drugs which reduce gastric acidity may result in a lower bioavailability of Cefuroxime compared with that of the fasting state and tend to cancel the effect of enhanced post-prandial absorption.
In common with other antibiotics, Cefuroxime may affect the gut flora, leading to lower oestrogen reabsorption and reduced efficacy of combined oral contraceptives. As a false negative result may occur in the ferricyanide test, it is recommended that either the glucose oxidase or hexokinase methods are used to determine blood/plasma glucose levels in patients receiving Cefuroxime. This antibiotic does not interfere in the alkaline picrate assay for creatinine. Probenecid reduces the renal clearance of Cefuroxime

Storage

Store at temperatures not exceeding 30°C.

Description

Each film-coated tablet contains: Cefuroxime (as axetil), USP 500 mg.

Action

Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetics: Cefuroxime axetil is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and is rapidly hydrolysed in the intestinal mucosa and blood to cefuroxime; absorption is enhanced in the presence of food. Peak plasma concentrations are reported about 2 to 3 hours after an oral dose. The sodium salt is given by intramuscular or intravenous injection. Peak plasma concentrations of about 27 mcg per mL have been achieved 45 minutes after an intramuscular dose of 750 mg with measurable amounts present 8 hours after a dose. Up to 50% of cefuroxime in the circulation is bound to plasma proteins. The plasma half-life is about 70 minutes and is prolonged in patients with renal impairment and in neonates.
Microbiology: Antimicrobial Action: Cefuroxime is bactericidal and has a similar spectrum of antimicrobial action and pattern of resistance to those of cefamandole. It is more resistant to hydrolysis by beta-lactamases than cefamandole, and therefore may be more active against beta-lactamase producing strains, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhea. However, treatment failures have occurred in patients with H. influenzae meningitis given cefuroxime and might be associated with a relatively high minimum bactericidal concentration when compared with the minimum inhibitory concentration or with a significant inoculum effect. Reduced affinity of penicillin-binding proteins for cefuroxime has also been reported to be responsible for resistance in a beta-lactamase-neqative strain of H. influenzae.

MedsGo Class

Cephalosporins

CEFALIN Cefalexin 500mg Capsule 1's