How to Use

Cephalosporins may be taken on a full or empty stomach. If this drug upsets your stomach, it may help to take it with food.

Cefaclor extended-release tablets, cefditoren, cefpodoxime and cefuroxime axetil must be taken with food to increase absorption of the drug. Ceftibuten oral suspension must be taken on an empty stomach, at least 2 hours before or 1 hour after a meal.

For diseaseds taking the oral liquid form of this drug:

• This drug is to be taken by mouth. Use a specially marked measuring spoon or other device to measure each dose accurately. The average household teaspoon may not hold the right amount of liquid.
• Do not use after the expiration date on the label since the drug may not work properly after that date. Check with your pharmacist if you have any questions about this.

To help clear up your infection completely, keep taking this drug for the full time of treat , even if you begin to feel better after a few days If you have a “strep” infection, you must keep taking this drug for at least 10 days. This is especially important in “strep” infections since serious heart or kidney problems could develop later if your infection is not cleared up completely. Always if you stop taking this drug too soon, your symptoms may return.

This drug works best when there is a constant amount in the blood or urine To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses. Always it is best to take the doses at evenly spaced times, day and night . For example, if you are to take four doses a day, the doses must be spaced about 6 hours apart. If this interferes with your sleep or other daily activities, or if you need help in planning the best times to take your drug, check with your health care professional.

Dosage

The number of capsules or tablets or teaspoonfuls of suspension that you take depends on the strength of the drug. Always the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses and the length of time you take the drug depend on the medical problem for which you are taking a cephalosporin .

For cefaclor
• For bacterial infections:
  • For capsule or oral suspension dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 250 to 500 milligrams - mg every eight hours.
    • Infants and children 1 month of age and older 6.7 to 13.4 mg per kilogram - kg - 3.04 to 6.09 mg per pound of body weight every eight hours, or 10 to 20 mg per kg - 4.54 to 9.09 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours.
  • For extended-release tablet dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 16 years of age and older 375 to 500 mg every twelve hours for seven to ten days.
    • Children up to 16 years of age Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For cefadroxil
• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral dosage forms - capsules, oral suspension, or tablets:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams - mg or 1 gram every twelve hours, or 1 or 2 grams once a day.
    • Children 15 mg per kilogram - kg - 6.81 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours, or 30 mg per kg - 13.63 mg per pound of body weight once a day.

For cefamandole
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams - mg to 2 grams every four to eight hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Infants and children 1 month of age and older 8.3 to 50 mg per kilogram - kg - 3.77 to 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every four to eight hours, injected into a muscle or vein.

For cefazolin
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 250 milligrams - mg to 1.5 grams every six to twelve hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Infants and children 1 month of age and older 6.25 to 25 mg per kilogram - kg - 2.84 to 11.36 mg per pound of body weight every six hours, or 8.3 to 33.3 mg per kg - 3.77 to 15.13 mg per pound of body weight every eight hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Newborns 20 mg per kg - 9.09 mg per pound of body weight every eight to twelve hours, injected into a vein.

For cefdinir
• For bacterial infections:
  • For capsule or oral suspension dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 300 milligrams - mg ever twelve hours or 600 mg once a day for 5 to 10 days.
    • Infants and children 6 months of age and older 7 milligrams - mg per kilogram - 3.18 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours or 14 mg per kilogram - 6.36 mg per pound once a day for 5 to 10 days.

For cefditoren
• For acute bacterial bronchitis
  • For tablets dosage form:
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and older 400 milligrams - mg twice a day for 10 days
    • Children under 12 years of age Dose must be determined by your doct
• For bacterial throat infections or tonsillitis:
  • For tablets dosage form:
    • Adults and children 12 years of age and older 200 milligrams - mg twice a day for 10 days
    • Children under 12 years of age Dose must be determined by your doct

For cefepime
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams to 2 grams every eight to twelve hours, injected into a muscle or vein, for seven to ten days.
    • Infants and children 2 months to 16 years of age 50 milligrams per kilogram body weight injected into muscle or vein, every eight to twelve hours, for seven to ten days.

For cefixime Note:

Was withdrawn from the USA market by Wyeth in October 2002

• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral dosage forms - oral suspension or tablets:
    • Adults and teenagers 200 milligrams - mg every twelve hours, or 400 mg once a day. Gonorrhea is treated with a single, oral dose of 400 mg.
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age 4 mg per kilogram - kg - 1.81 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours, or 8 mg per kg - 3.63 mg per pound of body weight once a day.
    • Infants up to 6 months of age Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For cefonicid
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams - mg to 2 grams every twenty-four hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For cefoperazone
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 1 to 6 grams every twelve hours, or 2 to 4 grams every eight hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For cefotaxime
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 1 to 2 grams every four to twelve hours, injected into a muscle or vein. Gonorrhea is usually treated with a single dose of 500 milligrams - mg or 1 gram, injected into a muscle.
    • Children over 50 kg of body weight - 110 pounds 1 to 2 grams every four to twelve hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Infants and children 1 month of age and older and up to 50 kg of body weight - 110 pounds 8.3 to 30 mg per kg - 3.77 to 13.63 mg per pound of body weight every four hours, or 12.5 to 45 mg per kg - 5.68 to 20.45 mg per pound of body weight every six hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Newborns 1 to 4 weeks of age 50 mg per kg - 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every eight hours, injected into a vein.
    • Newborns up to 1 week of age 50 mg per kilogram - kg - 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours, injected into a vein.

For cefotetan
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams to 3 grams every twelve hours, or 1 or 2 grams every twenty-four hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Children Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For cefoxitin
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 1 to 3 grams every four to eight hours, injected into a vein.
    • Infants and children 3 months of age and older 13.3 to 26.7 milligrams - mg per kilogram - kg - 6.04 to 12.13 mg per pound of body weight every four hours, or 20 to 40 mg per kg - 9.09 to 18.18 mg per pound of body weight every six hours, injected into a vein.
    • Infants 1 to 3 months of age 20 to 40 mg per kg - 9.09 to 18.18 mg per pound of body weight every six to eight hours, injected into a vein.
    • Newborns 1 to 4 weeks of age 20 to 40 mg per kg - 9.09 to 18.18 mg per pound of body weight every eight hours, injected into a vein.
    • Premature infants weighing 1500 grams and over to newborns up to 1 week of age 20 to 40 mg per kg - 9.09 to 18.18 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours, injected into a vein.

For cefpodoxime
• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral dosage forms - oral suspension or tablets:
    • Adults and teenagers 100 to 400 milligrams - mg every twelve hours for five to fourteen days. Gonorrhea is treated with a single, oral dose of 200 mg.
    • Infants and children 5 months to 12 years of age 5 mg per kilogram - kg - 2.27 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours for five to ten days, or 10 mg per kg - 4.54 mg per pound of body weight every twenty-four hours for ten days.
    • Infants up to 5 months of age Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For cefprozil
• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral dosage forms - oral suspension or tablets:
    • Adults and teenagers 250 or 500 milligrams - mg every twelve to twenty-four hours for ten days.
    • Children 2 to 12 years of age 7.5 to 20 mg per kilogram - kg - 3.4 to 9.09 mg per pound of body weight every twelve to twenty-four hours for ten days.
    • Infants and children 6 months to 12 years of age 7.5 to 15 mg per kg - 3.4 to 6.81 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours for ten days.
    • Infants up to 6 months of age Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For ceftazidime
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 250 milligrams - mg to 2 grams every eight to twelve hours, injected into a muscle or vein. Patients with cystic fibrosis may receive 30 to 50 mg per kilogram - kg - 13.63 to 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every eight hours, injected into a vein.
    • Infants and children 1 month to 12 years of age 30 to 50 mg per kg - 13.63 to 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every eight hours, injected into a vein.
    • Newborns up to 4 weeks of age 30 mg per kg - 13.63 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours, injected into a vein.

For ceftibuten
• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral dosage forms - capsules or oral suspension:
    • Adults and teenagers 400 milligrams - mg once a day for ten days.
    • Infants and children 6 months to 12 years of age 9 mg per kilogram - 4.09 mg per pound of body weight once a day for ten days.
    • Infants up to 6 months of age Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For ceftizoxime
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams - mg to 4 grams every eight to twelve hours, injected into a muscle or vein. Gonorrhea is treated with a single dose of 1 gram, injected into a muscle.
    • Infants and children 6 months of age and older 50 mg per kilogram - 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every six to eight hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Infants up to 6 months of age Use and dose must be determined by your family doctor.

For ceftriaxone
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 1 to 2 grams every twenty-four hours, or 500 milligrams - mg to 1 gram every twelve hours, injected into a muscle or vein. Gonorrhea is treated with a single 250-mg dose, injected into a muscle.
    • Infants and children 25 to 37.5 mg per kilogram - kg - 11.36 to 17.04 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours, or 50 to 75 mg per kg - 22.72 to 34.09 mg per pound of body weight once a day, injected into a muscle or vein. Meningitis is treated with an initial dose of 100 mg per kg, then 100 mg per kg once a day or 50 mg per kg two times a day.

For cefuroxime
• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral suspension dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers The oral suspension is usually using only for children. Refer to the dosing for cefuroxime tablets.
    • Infants and children 3 months to 12 years of age 10 to 15 milligrams - mg per kilogram - kg - 4.54 to 6.81 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours for ten days.
  • For tablet dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 250 to 500 mg every twelve hours. Gonorrhea is treated with a single, oral 1-gram dose.
    • Children up to 12 years of age who can swallow tablets whole 250 mg every twelve hours for ten days.
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 750 mg to 3 grams every six to eight hours usually for 5 to 14 days, injected into a muscle or vein. Gonorrhea is treated with a single dose of 1.5 grams, injected into a muscle; the total 1.5-gram dose is divided into two doses and injected into muscles at two separate places on the body and given along with a single, oral 1-gram dose of probenecid.
    • Infants and children 1 month of age and older 12.5 to 150 mg per kg - 5.68 to mg per pound of body weight every six to eight hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Newborns 10 to 100 mg per kg - 4.54 to 45.5 mg mg per pound of body weight every eight to twelve hours, injected into a vein.

For cephalexin
• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral dosage forms - capsules, oral suspension, or tablets:
    • Adults and teenagers 250 milligrams - mg to 1 gram every six to twelve hours.
    • Children 40 kg - 88 pounds of body weight and over 250 mg to 1 gram every six to twelve hours.
    • Children 1 year of age and older and up to 40 kg - 88 pounds of body weight 6.25 to 25 mg per kilogram - kg - 2.84 to 11.36 mg per pound of body weight every six hours, or 12.5 to 50 mg per kg - 5.68 to 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours.
    • Infants and children 1 month to 1 year of age 6.25 to 12.5 mg per kg - 2.84 to 5.68 mg per pound of body weight every six hours.

For cephalothin
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams - mg to 2 grams every four to six hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Children 13.3 to 26.6 mg per kilogram - kg - 6.04 to 12.09 mg per pound of body weight every four hours, or 20 to 40 mg per kg - 9.09 to 18.18 mg per pound of body weight every six hours, injected into a muscle or vein.

For cephapirin
• For bacterial infections:
  • For injection dosage form:
    • Adults and teenagers 500 milligrams - mg to 1 gram every four to six hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Infants and children 3 months of age and older 10 to 20 mg per kilogram - kg - 4.54 to 9.09 mg per pound of body weight every six hours, injected into a muscle or vein.

For cephradine
• For bacterial infections:
  • For oral dosage forms - capsules or oral suspension:
    • Adults and teenagers 250 milligrams - mg to 1 gram every six to twelve hours.
    • Infants and children 9 months of age and older 6.25 mg to 1 gram per kilogram - kg - 2.84 to 454 mg per pound of body weight every six hours, or 12.5 to 50 mg per kg - 5.68 to 22.72 mg per pound of body weight every twelve hours.

Missed dose If you miss a dose of this drug, take it as soon as possible. This will help to keep a constant amount of drug in the blood or urine. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage To store this drug:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store the capsule or tablet form of this drug in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the drug to break down.
• Store the oral liquid form of most cephalosporins in the refrigerator because heat will cause this drug to break down. However, keep the drug from freezing. Follow the directions on the label. Cefixime oral suspension - Suprax , cefuroxime axetil oral suspension - Ceftin and cefdinir oral suspension - Omnicef don't needed to be refrigerated.
• Do not keep outdated drug or drug no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded drug is out of the reach of children.