Amoxicillin precautions
Amoxicillin general precautions
The possibility of superinfections with mycotic or bacterial pathogens should be kept in mind during therapy. If superinfections occur, Amoxicillin should be discontinued and appropriate therapy instituted.
A high percentage of patients with mononucleosis who receive ampicillin develop an erythematous skin rash. Thus, ampicillin-class antibiotics should not be administered to patients with mononucleosis.
Prescribing Amoxicillin in the absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria.
Amoxicillin Laboratory Tests
As with any potent drug, periodic assessment of renal, hepatic, and hematopoietic function should be made during prolonged therapy.
All patients with gonorrhea should have a serologic test for syphilis at the time of diagnosis. Patients treated with Amoxicillin should have a follow-up serologic test for syphilis after 3 months.
Amoxicillin Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions
High urine concentrations of ampicillin may result in false-positive reactions when testing for the presence of glucose in urine using CLINITEST®, Benedict’s Solution, or Fehling’s Solution. Since this effect may also occur with Amoxicillin, it is recommended that glucose tests based on enzymatic glucose oxidase reactions (such as CLINISTIX®) be used.
Following administration of ampicillin to pregnant women, a transient decrease in plasma concentration of total conjugated estriol, estriol-glucuronide, conjugated estrone, and estradiol has been noted. This effect may also occur with Amoxicillin.
Amoxicillin Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility precautions
Long-term studies in animals have not been performed to evaluate carcinogenic potential. Studies to detect mutagenic potential of Amoxicillin alone have not been conducted; however, the following information is available from tests on a 4:1 mixture of Amoxicillin and potassium clavulanate (AUGMENTIN). AUGMENTIN was non-mutagenic in the Ames bacterial mutation assay, and the yeast gene conversion assay. AUGMENTIN was weakly positive in the mouse lymphoma assay, but the trend toward increased mutation frequencies in this assay occurred at doses that were also associated with decreased cell survival. AUGMENTIN was negative in the mouse micronucleus test, and in the dominant lethal assay in mice. Potassium clavulanate alone was tested in the Ames bacterial mutation assay and in the mouse micronucleus test, and was negative in each of these assays. In a multi-generation reproduction study in rats, no impairment of fertility or other adverse reproductive effects were seen at doses up to 500 mg/kg (approximately 3 times the human dose in mg/m2).
Amoxicillin Information for Patients
Amoxicillin may be taken every 8 hours or every 12 hours, depending on the strength of the product prescribed.
Patients should be counseled that antibacterial drugs, including Amoxicillin, should only be used to treat bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections (e.g., the common cold). When Amoxicillin is prescribed to treat a bacterial infection, patients should be told that although it is common to feel better early in the course of therapy, the medication should be taken exactly as directed. Skipping doses or not completing the full course of therapy may: (1) decrease the effectiveness of the immediate treatment, and (2) increase the likelihood that bacteria will develop resistance and will not be treatable by Amoxicillin or other antibacterial drugs in the future.
Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics which usually ends when the antibiotic 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 the last dose of the antibiotic. If this occurs, patients should contact their physician as soon as possible.
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