Cephalexin Brand Names
Biocef | Daxbia | Keflex | Keftab | Panixine
What is Cephalexin
Cephalexin is an oral, first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic with excellent activity against most gram-positive bacteria.
Cephalexin is used primarily in the treatment of otitis media and infections of the respiratory tract (e.g., pharyngitis, tonsillitis, lobar pneumonia) caused by susceptible staphylococci, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and group A beta-hemolytic streptococci.
Cephalexin (Keflex®) was approved by the FDA in 1971.
Cephalexin hydrochloride (Keftab®) was later approved on October 29, 1987.
Indications
- bone and joint infections
- cellulitis
- community-acquired pneumonia
- cystitis
- endocarditis prophylaxis
- Escherichia coli
- Haemophilus influenzae (beta-lactamase negative)
- impetigo
- infectious arthritis
- Klebsiella pneumoniae
- lower respiratory tract infections
- mastitis
- Moraxella catarrhalis
- osteomyelitis
- otitis media
- pharyngitis
- pneumonia
- prostatitis
- Proteus mirabilis
- rheumatic fever prophylaxis
- skin and skin structure infections
- Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA)
- Staphylococcus epidermidis
- Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococci)
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Streptococcus pyogenes (group A beta-hemolytic streptococci)
- tonsillitis
- upper respiratory tract infections
- urinary tract infection (UTI)
- urinary tract infection (UTI) prophylaxis
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP)
- agitation
- agranulocytosis
- anaphylactoid reactions
- angioedema
- aplastic anemia
- arthralgia
- azotemia
- bleeding
- candidiasis
- confusion
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- dyspepsia
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- eosinophilia
- erythema multiforme
- fatigue
- fever
- gastritis
- hallucinations
- headache
- hemolytic anemia
- hepatitis
- hypoprothrombinemia
- interstitial nephritis
- jaundice
- leukopenia
- maculopapular rash
- nausea
- neutropenia
- pancytopenia
- pruritus
- pruritus ani
- pseudomembranous colitis
- rash
- seizures
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- superinfection
- thrombocytopenia
- toxic epidermal necrolysis
- urticaria
- vaginitis
- vomiting
Monitoring Parameters
- serum creatinine/BUN
Contraindications
- antimicrobial resistance
- breast-feeding
- cephalosporin hypersensitivity
- coagulopathy
- colitis
- diabetes mellitus
- diarrhea
- geriatric
- GI disease
- inflammatory bowel disease
- penicillin hypersensitivity
- pregnancy
- pseudomembranous colitis
- renal failure
- renal impairment
- ulcerative colitis
- viral infection
- vitamin K deficiency
Interactions
- Alogliptin; Metformin
- Canagliflozin; Metformin
- Carbetapentane; Guaifenesin; Phenylephrine
- Carbetapentane; Phenylephrine
- Chlorpheniramine; Pseudoephedrine
- Cholestyramine
- Colchicine; Probenecid
- Dapagliflozin; Metformin
- Dienogest; Estradiol valerate
- Drospirenone
- Drospirenone; Estradiol
- Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol
- Drospirenone; Ethinyl Estradiol; Levomefolate
- Empagliflozin; Linagliptin; Metformin
- Empagliflozin; Metformin
- Ertugliflozin; Metformin
- Estradiol; Levonorgestrel
- Estradiol; Norethindrone
- Estradiol; Norgestimate
- Ethinyl Estradiol
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Desogestrel
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Ethynodiol Diacetate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Etonogestrel
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel; Ferrous bisglycinate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Levonorgestrel; Folic Acid; Levomefolate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norelgestromin
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone Acetate; Ferrous fumarate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norethindrone; Ferrous fumarate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestimate
- Ethinyl Estradiol; Norgestrel
- Glipizide; Metformin
- Glyburide; Metformin
- Iron Sucrose, Sucroferric Oxyhydroxide
- Leuprolide; Norethindrone
- Levonorgestrel
- Linagliptin; Metformin
- Loop diuretics
- Mestranol; Norethindrone
- Metformin
- Metformin; Pioglitazone
- Metformin; Repaglinide
- Metformin; Rosiglitazone
- Metformin; Saxagliptin
- Metformin; Sitagliptin
- Norethindrone
- Norgestrel
- Oral Contraceptives
- Probenecid
- Segesterone Acetate; Ethinyl Estradiol
- Sodium picosulfate; Magnesium oxide; Anhydrous citric acid
- Warfarin
- Zinc
- Zinc Salts
