cefepime

Generic Name: cefepime (SEF e peem)Brand Names: Maxipime

What is cefepime?

Cefepime is in a group of drugs called cephalosporin (SEF a low spor in) antibiotics. It works by fighting bacteria in your body.

Cefepime injection is used to treat many kinds of bacterial infections, including severe or life-threatening forms.

Cefepime may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about cefepime?

Do not use cefepime if you have ever had an allergic reaction to another cephalosporin or to a penicillin without first talking to your doctor.

Before using cefepime, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially penicillins), or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, or a stomach or intestinal disorder such as colitis.

Tell your doctor if you are also using any other injected antibiotics, or a diuretic (water pill).

Use this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Cefepime will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using cefepime?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to cefepime, any type of penicillin, or to other cephalosporin antibiotics, such as:

• cefaclor (Raniclor);

• cefadroxil (Duricef);

• cefazolin (Ancef);

• cefdinir (Omnicef);

• cefditoren (Spectracef);

• cefpodoxime (Vantin);

• cefprozil (Cefzil);

• ceftibuten (Cedax);

• cefuroxime (Ceftin);

• cephalexin (Keflex); or

• cephradine (Velosef).

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use cefepime:

• kidney disease;

• liver disease; or

• a stomach or intestinal disorder such as colitis;

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Cefepime can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use cefepime?

Cefepime is given as an injection through a needle placed into a muscle or vein. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will give you this injection. You may be shown how to use your medicine at home. Do not self-inject this medicine if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of needles, IV tubing, and other items used in giving the medicine.

When injected into a vein, cefepime must be given slowly through an IV infusion, and can take at least 30 minutes to complete.

You will need to mix cefepime with a liquid (diluent) before using it. If you are using the injections at home, be sure you understand how to properly mix and store the medication.

Do not mix this medicine or draw your cefepime dose into a syringe until you are ready to give yourself an injection.

Use each disposable needle only one time. Throw away used needles in a puncture-proof container (ask your pharmacist where you can get one and how to dispose of it). Keep this container out of the reach of children and pets.

Use this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Cefepime will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

This medication can cause you to have unusual results with certain lab tests to check for glucose (sugar) in the urine. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using cefepime.

Store unopened cefepime dry powder at room temperature, away from light, heat, and moisture. After mixing cefepime with a diluent, you may store the mixture in the refrigerator and use it within 7 days. Do not freeze. Do not use the mixed medication if it has changed colors or has any particles in it.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose of this medication.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include confusion, hallucinations, restless feeling, muscle stiffness, or seizure (convulsions).

What should I avoid while using cefepime?

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

Cefepime side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• confusion, hallucinations, or convulsiones o se desmaya. seizure (black-out or convulsions);

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;

• skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness; or

• sore throat and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash.

Less serious side effects may include:

• pain, swelling, or skin rash where the injection was given;

• stomach pain, nausea, vomiting;

• headache;

• skin rash or itching;

• white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips; or

• vaginal itching or discharge.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Cefepime Dosing Information

Usual Adult Dose for Bacteremia:

2 g IV every 8 hours

Usual Adult Dose for Febrile Neutropenia:

2 g IV every 8 hours for 7 days or until neutropenia resolvesThe patient's clinical status should be reassessed after 3 to 5 days of antimicrobial therapy.

Usual Adult Dose for Intraabdominal Infection:

Complicated (used with metronidazole): 2 g IV every 12 hours for 7 to 10 days

Usual Adult Dose for Nosocomial Pneumonia:

1 to 2 g IV every 8 to 12 hours Initial empiric treatment with broad-spectrum coverage according to the hospital's and/or ICU's antibiogram is recommended if multidrug-resistant organisms are suspected. Duration: If the causative organism is not Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the duration of treatment should be as short as clinically possible (e.g., as little as 7 days) to reduce the risk of superinfections with resistant organisms.

Usual Adult Dose for Pneumonia:

1 to 2 g IV every 12 hours for 10 days

Usual Adult Dose for Pyelonephritis:

2 g IV every 12 hours for 10 days

Usual Adult Dose for Skin or Soft Tissue Infection:

2 g IV every 12 hours for 10 days

Usual Adult Dose for Urinary Tract Infection:

Mild to moderate; complicated or uncomplicated: 0.5 to 1 g IV or IM every 12 hours for 7 to 10 daysIM administration is considered to be a more appropriate route for mild to moderate, uncomplicated or complicated urinary tract infections due to E coli.Severe; complicated or uncomplicated: 2 g IV every 12 hours for 10 days

Usual Pediatric Dose for Febrile Neutropenia:

2 months to 16 years and 39 kg or less: 50 mg/kg IV every 8 hours for 7 to 10 days depending on the nature and severity of the infection.The maximum pediatric dose should not exceed the recommended dose for adults.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Intraabdominal Infection:

2 months to 16 years and 39 kg or less: 50 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for 7 to 10 days depending on the nature and severity of the infectionThe maximum pediatric dose should not exceed the recommended dose for adults.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Pneumonia:

2 months to 16 years and 39 kg or less: 50 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for 7 to 10 days depending on the nature and severity of the infectionThe maximum pediatric dose should not exceed the recommended dose for adults.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Pyelonephritis:

2 months to 16 years and 39 kg or less: 50 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for 7 to 10 days depending on the nature and severity of the infectionThe maximum pediatric dose should not exceed the recommended dose for adults.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Skin and Structure Infection:

2 months to 16 years and 39 kg or less: 50 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for 7 to 10 days depending on the nature and severity of the infectionThe maximum pediatric dose should not exceed the recommended dose for adults.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Urinary Tract Infection:

2 months to 16 years and 39 kg or less: 50 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for 7 to 10 days depending on the nature and severity of the infectionIM administration is considered to be a more appropriate route for mild to moderate, uncomplicated or complicated urinary tract infections due to E coli.The maximum pediatric dose should not exceed the recommended dose for adults.

What other drugs will affect cefepime?

Before using cefepime, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines

• an antibiotic such as amikacin (Amikin), gentamicin (Garamycin), kanamycin (Kantrex), neomycin (Mycifradin, Neo-Fradin, Neo-Tab), netilmicin (Netromycin), streptomycin, or tobramycin (Nebcin, Tobi); or

• a diuretic (water pill) such as furosemide (Lasix), bumetanide (Bumex), torsemide (Demadex), or ethacrynic acid (Edecrin).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with cefepime. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about cefepime.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are using, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.01. Revision Date: 11/12/2009 2:15:25 PM.