Ceftriaxone

Ceftriaxone is a prescription medication used to treat bacterial infections such as gonorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infections of the brain, spinal cord, lungs, ears, skin, urinary tract, blood, bones, joints, and stomach. Ceftriaxone belongs to a group of drugs called cephalosporin antibiotics, which work to stop the growth of bacteria in the body.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) or muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of ceftriaxone include irritation at the site of injection, rash, and diarrhea.

Ceftriaxone is a prescription medication used to treat bacterial infections such as gonorrhea, pelvic inflammatory disease, and infections of the brain, spinal cord, lungs, ears, skin, urinary tract, blood, bones, joints, and stomach.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Ceftriaxone may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Rocephin

Common side effects of ceftriaxone include:

• irritation at the site of injection
• diarrhea
• rash
• nausea
• vomiting
• altered taste

This is not a complete list of ceftriaxone side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with ceftriaxone. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• probenecid (Probalan, Benemid)
• methotrexate (Trexall, Rheumatrex)
• birth control pills

This is not a complete list of ceftriaxone drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with ceftriaxone including:

• hypersensitivity (severe allergic reaction). Signs of a hypersensitivity reaction, which include the following:
  • chest pain
  • swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, arms, or legs
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • fainting
  • rash
• diarrhea. Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics, and it usually ends when the antibacterial is discontinued. Sometimes after starting treatment with antibiotics, 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 their last dose of the antibacterial. If diarrhea is severe or lasts more than 2 or 3 days, contact your doctor, as this may be a sign of an infection of the bowels.
• superinfection. Ceftriaxone should not be used for extended periods. Prolonged use can lead to the growth of dangerous organisms that are resistant or unresponsive to this medication. Take ceftriaxone for the duration prescribed by your doctor.
• bleeding abnormalities. Your health care provider may want to monitor lab tests that show how well your blood is able to clot or that measure your tendency to bleed. Any abnormalities or irregularities that may occur may be more common in those with kidney dysfunction.
• nervous system disturbances. Some may experience nervous symptom abnormalities such as a seizure or disturbances of consciousness (confusion, hallucinations, stupor, coma) when the dose of ceftriaxone exceeds the recommended dose, especially in the presence of kidney dysfunction.

Do not take ceftriaxone in the following situations:

• in those who are allergic to ceftriaxone or to any of its ingredients
• in hyperbilirubinemic neonates, especially premature infants
• in neonates if they require (or are expected to require) treatment with calcium-containing IV solutions, including continuous calcium-containing infusions such as parenteral nutrition

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of ceftriaxone, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.
 

Before taking ceftriaxone, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to ceftriaxone or to any ingredient of ceftriaxone
• are allergic to similar antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins)
• have kidney problems
• have liver problems
• have gastrointestinal (stomach or bowel) problems
• have a history of seizure activity
• are receiving an infusion that contains calcium
• are pregnant or are breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Ceftriaxone falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with ceftriaxone. But in animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Ceftriaxone has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from ceftriaxone, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Take ceftriaxone exactly as prescribed.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) or muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional.

Take ceftriaxone exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The ceftriaxone dose your doctor recommends will be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your kidney and liver function
• your weight
• your age

The recommended dose range for ceftriaxone in children is 50 mg/kg to 4 grams total once a day or divided into even doses given twice a day.

The recommended dose range for ceftriaxone in adults is 250 mg to 4 grams total once a day or divided into even doses given twice a day.

Ceftriaxone is usually administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting making it unlikely for an overdose to occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.

• Ceftriaxone sterile powder should be stored at room temperature, 77°F (25°C) or below, and protected from light.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.