Cephalosporins are a group of antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections. This drug works to kill bacteria by inhibiting the formation of bacterial cell walls.
Cephalosporins are beta-lactam antibiotics, which are derived from fungi species Acremonium. Cephalosporins are used to treat diseases caused by bacterial infections, such as otitis media, pneumonia, meningitis, skin infections, kidney infections, bone infections, throat infections, and sexually transmitted infections, such as gonorrhea.
Precautions Before Using Cephalosporins:
- Do not use this medicine if you have a history of allergy to cephalosporins or penicillins.
- Be sure to finish all the cephalosporin medications prescribed by your doctor even if your symptoms improve, so that the infection is completely cured.
- Tell your doctor if you have a history of kidney disease, liver disease, stomach problems, or alcoholism.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning a pregnancy.
- Tell the doctor if you or your child are planning or have recently received the BCG or typhoid vaccine.
- Tell your doctor if you are taking certain medicines, especially ranitidine, cimetidine, famotidine, esomeprazole, and rabeprazole, birth control pills, or herbal medicines.
- See a doctor immediately if you have an allergic reaction to the drug or an overdose while using a cephalosporin.
Side Effects and Dangers of Cephalosporins
Some of the side effects that may arise from the use of cephalosporins are:
- Nauseous
- Throw up
- Ulcer
- Dizzy
- Stomach ache
- Diarrhea
- fungal infection
Check with your doctor if the above side effects or drug allergic reactions appear, such as an itchy rash, swelling of the eyelids and lips, and shortness of breath.
Cephalosporin Types and Trademarks
The following are the types of cephalosporin drugs that are divided by generation, and are equipped with several trademarks, as well as doses that are adjusted to the patient's condition and age:
First generation cephalosporins
Generation I cephalosporins are effective in treating gram-positive bacterial infections. Some types can also be used to treat gram-negative bacterial infections. Some types of bacteria that can be overcome by this drug are: Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Examples of first-generation cephalosporins are:
- Cefadroxil
Trademarks: Cefadroxil, Ancefa, Cefat, Doxef, Drovax, Droxefa, Opicef, Pharmaxil, Staforin
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefadroxil drug page.
- Cephalexin
Trademarks: Lexipron, Madlexin
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cephalexin drug page.
- Cefazolin
Trademarks: Cefazol, Cefazolin Sodium
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefazolin drug page.
Second generation cephalosporins
Generation II cephalosporins are effective in treating gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections. Examples of second-generation cephalosporin drugs are:
- Cefuroxime
Trademarks: Anbacim, Celocid, Oxtercid, Sharox, Situroxime, Zinnat
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefuroxime drug page.
- Cefprozil
Trademark: Lizor
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefprozil drug page.
- Cefachlor
Trademarks: Capabiotic, Cloracef, Forifek, Medikoncef
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefaclor drug page.
Third generation cephalosporins
Generation III cephalosporins are effective in treating both gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections. Drugs in this class are also more effective against bacteria that are already resistant to previous generations of cephalosporins.
Some types of bacteria that can be overcome by this drug are: Haemophilus influenzae, E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae or K. pneumonia and Proteus mirabilis. Examples of third-generation cephalosporins are:
- Cefotaxime
Trademarks: Cefotaxime, Biocef, Cefarin, Clacor, Efotax, Futacef, Kalfoxim, Litaxim, Taxef, Taxegram
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefotaxim drug page.
- Cefixime
Trademarks: Cefixime, Cefspan, Fixiphar, Helixim, Nixaven, Nucef, Oracef, Pharmafix, Sporetik, Starcef
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefixime drug page.
- Ceftriaxone
Trademarks: Ceftriaxone, Betrix, Bioxon, Broadced, Cefaxon, Ceftrox, Ecotrixon, Futaxon, Incephin, Intrix, Terfacef, Tricefin, Trixon, Tyason
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the ceftriaxone drug page.
- Cefoperazone
Trademarks: Bifotik, Biorazon, Cefobactam, Cefophar, Cefratam, Ceropid, Ferotam, Fosular, Logafox, Quabacef, Simextam, Sulperazon, Zotam
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefoperazone drug page.
- Ceftazidime
Trademarks: Ceftazidime, Ceftamax, Ceftum, Cetazum, Dimfec, Fortum, Lacedim, Pharodime, Zidifec
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the ceftazidime drug page.
- Cefditoren
Trademarks: Meiact 200, Meiact MS Fine Granules 10%
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefditoren drug page.
- Ceftizoxime
Trademarks: Cefim, Cefizox, Ceftizoxime Sodium and Tizos
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the ceftizoxime drug page.
IV generation cephalosporins
Generation IV cephalosporins are effective for treating gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial infections. This drug is also often prescribed for severe bacterial infections.
Some types of bacteria that can be overcome by generation IV cephalosporins are: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, K. Pneumoniae, E. Coli and Enterobacter. Examples of fourth-generation cephalosporin drugs are:
- Cefepime
Trademarks: Cefepime, Biocepime, Cefemet, Cefinov, Daryacef, Futapim, Macef, Maxicef, Nacepim, Pimcefa, Procepim, Vipime, Zepe, Zetab
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefepime drug page.
- Cefpirome
Trademarks: Cefpirome, Bactirom, Bioprom, Cefir, Cefrin, Futaprom, Lanpirome, Lapirom, Pirom
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the cefpirome drug page.
Generation V cephalosporins
Generation V cephalosporins are effective for treating bacterial infections Enterobacter faecalis and MRSA bacteria (variant of bacteria Staphylococcus aureus which is difficult to treat because it is resistant to several types of antibiotics). Examples of generation V cephalosporins are:
- Ceftaroline fosamil
Trademark: Zinforo
To find out the dosage and more information about this drug, please visit the ceftaroline fosamil drug page.