Cefuroxime Brand Names
Alti-Cefuroxime | Ceftin | Kefurox | Zinacef
What is Cefuroxime
Cefuroxime is an oral (cefuroxime axetil) and parenteral (cefuroxime sodium) second-generation cephalosporin.
Although the dosage forms differ, the bacterial spectrum and mechanism of action are the same.
Similar to other second-generation cephalosporins, cefuroxime is more active against gram-negative bacteria than the first-generation cephalosporins, but not as active as the third-generation cephalosporins.
Except for ceftriaxone, cefuroxime is more active against Haemophilus influenzae, including beta-lactamase-producing strains, than other cephalosporins.
Common clinical uses of cefuroxime include severe upper and lower respiratory tract infections, skin infections, otitis media, and surgical prophylaxis.
The oral tablets and suspension are not bioequivalent and are not substitutable on a milligram-per-milligram basis.
Indications
- bacteremia
- biliary tract infections
- bone and joint infections
- bronchitis
- cholecystitis
- Citrobacter sp.
- community-acquired pneumonia
- Enterobacter sp.
- erythema migrans
- Escherichia coli
- gonorrhea
- Haemophilus influenzae (beta-lactamase negative)
- Haemophilus influenzae (beta-lactamase positive)
- Haemophilus parainfluenzae
- impetigo
- intraabdominal infections
- Klebsiella sp.
- lower respiratory tract infections
- Lyme disease
- meningitis
- Moraxella catarrhalis
- Morganella morganii
- Neisseria gonorrhoeae
- Neisseria meningitidis
- otitis media
- pharyngitis
- pleural empyema
- pneumonia
- Proteus mirabilis
- Providencia rettgeri
- Salmonella sp.
- Shigella sp.
- sinusitis
- skin and skin structure infections
- Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA)
- Staphylococcus epidermidis
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Streptococcus pyogenes (group A beta-hemolytic streptococci)
- surgical infection prophylaxis
- tonsillitis
- urinary tract infection (UTI)
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP)
- agranulocytosis
- anaphylactoid reactions
- anorexia
- aplastic anemia
- arthralgia
- azotemia
- bleeding
- candidiasis
- chest pain (unspecified)
- chills
- cholestasis
- colitis
- cough
- diaper dermatitis
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- dyspepsia
- dyspnea
- dysuria
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- eosinophilia
- erythema
- erythema multiforme
- fever
- flatulence
- headache
- hemolytic anemia
- hepatitis
- hyperbilirubinemia
- hypoprothrombinemia
- infection
- injection site reaction
- interstitial nephritis
- Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction
- jaundice
- leukopenia
- leukorrhea
- muscle cramps
- nausea
- neutropenia
- oral ulceration
- pancytopenia
- phlebitis
- pruritus
- pseudomembranous colitis
- rash
- restlessness
- seizures
- serum sickness
- sinus tachycardia
- sinusitis
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- superinfection
- thrombocytopenia
- toxic epidermal necrolysis
- urticaria
- vaginitis
- vasculitis
- vomiting
Monitoring Parameters
- serum creatinine/BUN
Contraindications
- antimicrobial resistance
- breast-feeding
- cephalosporin hypersensitivity
- colitis
- diabetes mellitus
- diarrhea
- geriatric
- GI disease
- inflammatory bowel disease
- penicillin hypersensitivity
- phenylketonuria
- pregnancy
- pseudomembranous colitis
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- sexually transmitted disease
- ulcerative colitis
- viral infection
Interactions
- Amikacin
- Aminoglycosides
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Lansoprazole
- Amoxicillin; Clarithromycin; Omeprazole
- Antacids
- Aspirin, ASA; Citric Acid; Sodium Bicarbonate
- Aspirin, ASA; Omeprazole
- Calcium Carbonate
- Calcium Carbonate; Magnesium Hydroxide
- Calcium Carbonate; Risedronate
- Calcium Carbonate; Simethicone
- Cimetidine
- Dexlansoprazole
- Esomeprazole
- Esomeprazole; Naproxen
- Famotidine
- Famotidine; Ibuprofen
- Gentamicin
- H2-blockers
- Kanamycin
- Lansoprazole
- Lansoprazole; Naproxen
- Lanthanum Carbonate
- Loop diuretics
- Mycophenolate
- Nizatidine
- Omeprazole
- Omeprazole; Amoxicillin; Rifabutin
- Omeprazole; Sodium Bicarbonate
- Oral Contraceptives
- Pantoprazole
- Paromomycin
- Plazomicin
- Proton pump inhibitors
- Rabeprazole
- Ranitidine
- Sodium Bicarbonate
- Sodium picosulfate; Magnesium oxide; Anhydrous citric acid
- Streptomycin
- Tobramycin
- Warfarin
