Ertapenem

Information about Ertapenem

Ertapenem is a broad spectrum carbapenem antibiotic used primarily for the treatment of aerobic gram-negative bacterial infections.

Liver safety of Ertapenem

Ertapenem, like other carbapenems, is associated with transient and asymptomatic elevations in serum enzymes. The carbapenems have also been linked to rare instances of clinically apparent, acute cholestatic liver injury.

Mechanism of action of Ertapenem

Ertapenem (er" ta pen' em) is a broad spectrum beta-lactam antibiotic used predominantly for treatment of severe aerobic gram-negative infections. Ertapenem, like other carbapenems, binds to bacterial penicillin binding proteins and interferes with bacterial cell wall integrity and synthesis.

It is a broad spectrum antibiotic with activity against many aerobic and anaerobic gram-positive and gram-negative organisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, viridans group streptococci, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Bacteroides fragilis and Peptostreptococcus species.

FDA approval information for Ertapenem

Ertapenem was approved for use in the United States in 2001, and its use is largely restricted to serious infections in hospitalized patients. Ertapenem is indicated for the treatment of severe or complicated skin, tissue, joint, respiratory tract, intraabdominal, urinary tract and urogenital infections as well as endocarditis and sepsis due to susceptible organisms.

Dosage and administration for Ertapenem

The recommended dosage is 1 gram given intramuscularly once daily for 5 to 28 days. It is currently available as Invanz.

Side effects of Ertapenem

The most common side effects of ertapenem are infusion site pain and [[phlebitis, diarrhea, nausea, rash, pruritus and headache.

List of carbapenems

• Doripenem
• Ertapenem
• Imipenem
• Meropenem

• Dailymed label info on Ertapenem
• FDA Ertapenem

Ertapenem

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  Penicillin spheroplast generation
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  Ertapenem open-ring metabolite