Ceftazidime

What is Ceftazidime?

• Ceftazidime (Fortaz; Tazicef) is a semisynthetic, broad-spectrum, beta-lactam antibacterial drug for parenteral administration used to treat certain infections caused by bacteria including pneumonia and other lower respiratory tract infections; meningitis and other brain and spinal cord infections; and abdominal, skin, blood, bone, joint, female genital tract, and urinary tract infections.
• Ceftazidime injection is also sometimes used to treat patients who have a fever and are at high risk for infection because they have a low number of white blood cells, melioidosis (a serious infection that is common in places with a tropical climate), certain wound infections, and food poisoning.

Ceftazidime

What are the uses of this medicine?

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Ceftazidime ball-and-stick

Ceftazidime (Fortaz; Tazicef) is used for the treatment of patients with fallowing infections:

• Lower Respiratory Tract Infections including pneumonia
• Skin and Skin-Structure Infections
• Urinary Tract Infections, both complicated and uncomplicated
• Bacterial Septicemia
• Bone and Joint Infections
• Gynecologic Infections, including endometritis, pelvic cellulitis, and other infections of the female genital tract
• Intra-abdominal Infections, including peritonitis and polymicrobial infections
• Central Nervous System Infections, including meningitis

How does this medicine work?

• Ceftazidime is a bactericidal agent that acts by inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis.
• Ceftazidime has activity in the presence of some beta-lactamases, both penicillinases and cephalosporinases, of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria.

Ceftazidime-from-xtal-3D-bs-17

Ceftazidime has been shown to be active against most isolates of the following bacteria: Gram-negative bacteria:

• Citrobacter species
• Enterobacter species
• Escherichia coli
• Klebsiella species
• Haemophilus influenzae
• Neisseria meningitidis
• Proteus mirabilis
• Proteus vulgaris
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa
• Serratia species

Gram-positive bacteria:

• Staphylococcus aureus
• Streptococcus pneumoniae
• Streptococcus pyogenes
• Streptococcus agalactiae

Anaerobic bacteria:

• Bacteroides species

Who Should Not Use this medicine ?

This medicine cannot be used in patients who:

• have shown hypersensitivity to ceftazidime or the cephalosporin group of antibacterial drugs.

What drug interactions can this medicine cause?

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take.

Be sure to mention any of the following:

• amikacin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin (Neo-Fradin), streptomycin, and tobramycin.

Is this medicine FDA approved?

• Ceftazidime was patented in 1978 and came into commercial use in 1984.

How should this medicine be used?

Recommended dosage:

• The usual adult dosage is 1 gram administered intravenously or intramuscularly every 8 to 12 hours.
• The dosage and route should be determined by the susceptibility of the causative organisms, the severity of infection, and the condition and renal function of the patient.
• No adjustment in dosage is required for patients with hepatic dysfunction.
• In patients with suspected renal insufficiency, an initial loading dose of 1 gram of ceftazidime may be given. An estimate of GFR should be made to determine the appropriate maintenance dosage.

In Neonates (0 to 4 weeks):

• 30 mg/kg intravenous every 12 hours.

Infants and children (1 month to 12 years):

• 30 to 50 mg/kg intravenous to a maximum of 6 grams per day given every 8 hours.

Administration:

• Ceftazidime injection comes as a powder to be mixed with liquid and given intravenously or intramuscularly.
• Ceftazidime injection is also available as a premixed product to be injected intravenously.
• It is usually given every 8 or 12 hours until 2 days after all signs and symptoms of the infection have disappeared.
• You may receive ceftazidime injection in a hospital or you may administer the medication at home.
• If you will be receiving ceftazidime injection at home, your healthcare provider will show you how to use the medication.
• Take ceftazidime injection until you finish the prescription, even if you feel better.
• If you stop taking ceftazidime injection too soon or skip doses, your infection may not be completely treated and the bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics.

What are the dosage forms and brand names of this medicine?

This medicine is available in fallowing doasage form:

• As Ceftazidime for injection, USP is a sterile, dry-powdered mixture of ceftazidime pentahydrate and sodium carbonate.

This medicine is available in fallowing brand namesː

• Fortaz; Tazicef

What side effects can this medication cause?

The most common side effects of this medicine include: Local Effects:

• phlebitis and inflammation at the site of injection

Hypersensitivity Reactions:

• pruritus, rash, and fever
• Toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and erythema multiforme have also been reported with cephalosporin antibacterial drugs, including ceftazidime.
• Angioedema and anaphylaxis (bronchospasm and/or hypotension) have been reported very rarely.

Gastrointestinal Symptoms:

• diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain, pseudomembranous colitis.

Central Nervous System Reactions:

• headache, dizziness, and paresthesia.
• Seizures have been reported with several cephalosporins, including ceftazidime.

Hematologic:

• Rare cases of hemolytic anemia have been reported.

Less Frequent Adverse Events:

• candidiasis (including oral thrush) and vaginitis.

What special precautions should I follow?

• Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with use of nearly all antibacterial agents, including ceftazidime for injection, and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. Treatment with antibacterial agents alters the normal flora of the colon leading to overgrowth of C. difficile.
• If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, ongoing antibacterial drug use not directed against C. difficile may need to be discontinued. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte management, protein supplementation, antibacterial drug treatment of C. difficile, and surgical evaluation should be instituted as clinically indicated.
• Elevated levels of ceftazidime in patients with renal insufficiency can lead to seizures, nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE), encephalopathy, coma, asterixis, neuromuscular excitability, and myoclonia.
• As with other antibacterial drugs, prolonged use of ceftazidime may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms.
• Cephalosporins may be associated with a fall in prothrombin activity. Prothrombin time should be monitored in patients at risk and exogenous vitamin K administered as indicated.
• Ceftazidime should be prescribed with caution in individuals with a history of gastrointestinal disease, particularly colitis.
• Prescribing ceftazidime for injection in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria.
• Patients should be counseled that antibacterial drugs, including ceftazidime for injection, should only be used to treat bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections (e.g., the common cold).
• Skipping doses or not completing the full course of therapy may: (1) decrease the effectiveness of the immediate treatment, and (2) increase the likelihood that bacteria will develop resistance and will not be treatable by ceftazidime for injection or other antibacterial drugs in the future.
• Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibacterial drugs which usually ends when the antibacterial drug is discontinued. Sometimes after starting treatment with antibacterial drugs, patients can develop watery and bloody stools (with or without stomach cramps and fever) even as late as 2 or more months after having taken the last dose of the antibacterial drug. If this occurs, patients should contact their physician as soon as possible.
• The administration of ceftazidime may result in a false-positive reaction for glucose in the urine when using Clinitest tablets, Benedict's solution, or Fehling's solution. It is recommended that glucose tests based on enzymatic glucose oxidase reactions (such as CLINISTIX) be used.
• You should know that ceftazidime injection decreases the effectiveness of some oral contraceptives. You will need to use another form of birth control while taking this medication.
• Ceftazidime is excreted in human milk in low concentrations. Caution should be exercised when ceftazidime is administered to a nursing woman.

What to do in case of emergency/overdose?

Symptoms of overdosage may include:

• seizure activity, encephalopathy, asterixis, neuromuscular excitability, and coma

Management of overdosage:

• In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline of your country. In the United States, call 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose related information is also available online at poisonhelp.org/help.
• In the event that the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services. In the United States, call 911.
• Patients who receive an acute overdosage should be carefully observed and given supportive treatment.
• In the presence of renal insufficiency, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis may aid in the removal of ceftazidime from the body.

Can this medicine be used in pregnancy?

• There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women.
• Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.

Can this medicine be used in children?

• Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have been established.

What are the active and inactive ingredients in this medicine?

Active ingredient:

• ceftazidime

Inactive ingredients:

• sodium carbonate

Who manufactures and distributes this medicine?

• Mfd. for SAGENT Pharmaceuticals
• Schaumburg, IL
• Made in Brazil

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

• Ceftazidime for injection, USP in the dry state should be stored at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F) and protected from light.

• Dailymed label info on Ceftazidime
• FDA Ceftazidime

Ceftazidime Resources
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