Background: Carbapenems are a relatively new class of beta-lactam antibiotics characterized by a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity. Meropenem (MER), a new carbapenem has shown a lower nephrotoxic potential compared to imipenem (IMI).

What are side effects of meropenem?

Side Effects

What are carbapenems indications?

The common indications for treatment with a carbapenem are urinary infections resistant to other antibiotics, intra-abdominal infection, acute pancreatitis and prevention of necrotizing pancreatitis, nosocomial pneumonia, bacterial meningitis, cystic fibrosis and febrile neutropenia.

How does carbapenem work?

Closely related to penicillins, carbapenems are bactericidal beta-lactam antibiotics that bind to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). By binding and inactivating these proteins, carbapenems inhibit the synthesis of the bacterial cell wall, which leads to cell death.

What drug belongs to the group of carbapenems?

The carbapenem antibiotics imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem, and doripenem have a broad antimicrobial spectrum,199 with activity against almost all aerobic and anaerobic pathogens, although Enterococcus faecium are resistant.

What drug administered by the nurse belongs to the group of carbapenems?

See section 4. Meropenem belongs to a group of medicines called carbapenem antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria, which can cause serious infections.

Why is meropenem restricted?

Carbapenems (imipenem and meropenem) were restricted in ICU 1 to culture proven multi drug resistant bacteria with the absence of sensitivity to other antimicrobials agents.

Can meropenem cause shortness of breath?

severe tingling or numbness; or. low red blood cells (anemia)–pale skin, unusual tiredness, feeling light-headed or short of breath, cold hands and feet.

Is meropenem a strong antibiotic?

Meropenem (Merrem) is considered one of the stronger antibiotics. It works against many types of bacteria and treats severe or complicated infections when other antibiotics may not be enough.

What infections are carbapenems used for?

Carbapenems are a class of highly effective antibiotic agents commonly used for the treatment of severe or high-risk bacterial infections. This class of antibiotics is usually reserved for known or suspected multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections.

What are examples of carbapenems?

Carbapenems

What is carbapenem sparing strategy?

The proposal of carbapenem-sparing strategies has then generated substantial scientific debate and, overall, the concept of sparing these drugs is well advocated together with judicious use of novel drugs, appropriate measures of infection control and prevention as well as in stewardship programs to curb the spread of …

Why are carbapenems so effective?

Their unique molecular structure is due to the presence of a carbapenem together with the beta-lactam ring. This combination confers exceptional stability against most beta-lactamases (enzymes that inactivate beta-lactams) including ampicillin and carbenicillin (AmpC) and the extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs).

Is carbapenem safe in pregnancy?

Use of Carbapenems During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding When carbapenems were given to pregnant animals, no harmful effects on the fetus were observed. However, carbapenems have not been tested in pregnant women.

Why is carbapenem resistance a concern?

The major concern with OXA carbapenemases is their ability to rapidly mutate and expand their spectrum of activity. Studies by Mathers et al. [85] reported frequent detection of class D among the Enterobacteriaceae family making this a threat and a major public health problem worldwide [85].

What is the difference between a penicillin and a carbapenem?

Carbapenems are notable for their ability to inhibit beta-lactamase enzymes (also called penicillinase) – a type of enzyme that greatly reduces the activity of antibiotics such as penicillins and cephamycins.

What do fluoroquinolones treat?

The fluoroquinolones are indicated for treatment of several bacterial infections, including bacterial bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, urinary tract infections, septicemia and intraabdominal infections, joint and bone infections, soft tissue and skin infections, typhoid fever, anthrax, bacterial gastroenteritis, …

Do carbapenems cover enterococcus?

Carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem, doripenem) possess broad-spectrum in vitro activity, which includes activity against many Gram-positive, Gram-negative and anaerobic bacteria; carbapenems lack activity against Enterococcus faecium, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

Does Invanz cover anaerobes?

Spectrum: Like its big brother (Imipenem), ertapenem has a very broad spectrum of activity that includes all anaerobes and many aerobic gram-positive and gram-negative organisms.

For what purpose would kanamycin be ordered?

Kanamycin injection is used to treat serious bacterial infections in many different parts of the body. This medicine is for short-term use only (usually 7 to 10 days).

Does Invanz treat pneumonia?

INVANZ is indicated for the treatment of adult patients and pediatric patients (3 months of age and older) with community acquired pneumonia due to Streptococcus pneumoniae (penicillin susceptible isolates only) including cases with concurrent bacteremia, Haemophilus influenzae (beta-lactamase negative isolates only), …

Who should not take meropenem?

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of meropenem injection in children 3 months of age and older with complicated skin and skin structure infections and bacterial meningitis, and for children with intra-abdominal infections.

How long does it take for meropenem to leave your system?

In subjects with normal renal function, the elimination half-life of MERREM I.V. is approximately 1 hour. Approximately 70% of the intravenously administered dose is recovered as unchanged meropenem in the urine over 12 hours, after which little further urinary excretion is detectable.

How long can you take meropenem?

Clinical practice guidelines recommend meropenem for 4 to 7 days for severe or high-risk community-acquired infections or complicated health-care associated infections.

What is the strongest antibiotic?

Scientists have tweaked a powerful antibiotic, called vancomycin, so it is once more powerful against life-threatening bacterial infections.

What is the strongest antibiotic for bacterial infection?

Drugs used to treat Bacterial Infection

Drug name Rating Rx/OTC
View information about amoxicillin amoxicillin 6.7 Rx

Is meropenem hard on the kidneys?

Importantly, meropenem-related seizures were rare (0.1%), even in patients with renal impairment. In summary, meropenem has an excellent safety profile and is therefore suitable for use in elderly and/or renally impaired patients.