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Cefixime Tablets IP

PHARMACEUTICAL FORM

Film coated Tablet

THERAPEUTIC INDICATION

Indicated for the treatment of the following acute infections when caused by susceptible microorganisms: Upper Respiratory Tract Infections (URTI), Lower Respiratory Tract Infection (LRTI), and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI). Cefixime is an orally active cephalosporin antibiotic which has marked in vitro bactericidal activity against a wide variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

Posology
The recommended adult dosage is 200-400 mg daily according to the severity of infection, given either as a single dose or in two divided doses or as directed by the Physician.

The usual course of treatment is 7 days. This may be continued for up to 14 days if required.

Children under 10 Years: Cefixime 200 mg tablets are not recommended for use in children under 10 years old.

Elderly: Elderly patients may be given the same dose as recommended for adults. Renal function should be assessed and dosage should be adjusted in severe renal impairment.

Renal Impairment: Cefixime may be administered in the presence of impaired renal function. Normal dose and schedule may be given in patients with creatinine clearances of 20 ml/min or greater. In patients whose creatinine clearance is less than 20 ml/min, it is recommended that a dose of 200 mg once daily should not be exceeded. The dose and regimen for patients who are maintained on chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis or haemodialysis should follow the same recommendation as that for patients with creatinine clearances of less than 20 ml/min.

Method of administration: For oral use.
Absorption of Cefixime is not significantly modified by the presence of food.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Hypersensitivity to cephalosporin antibiotics or to any of the excipients.

SPECIAL WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS FOR USE

Beta-lactams, including cefixime, predispose the patient to encephalopathy risk (which may include convulsions, confusion, impairment of consciousness, movement disorders), particularly in case of overdose or renal impairment.

Severe cutaneous adverse reactions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) have been reported in some patients on cefixime. When severe cutaneous adverse reactions occur, cefixime should be discontinued and appropriate therapy and/or measures should be taken.

Cefixime should be given with caution to patients who have shown hypersensitivity to other drugs.

Hypersensitivity to penicillins
As with other cephalosporins, cefixime should be given with caution to patients with a history of hypersensitivity to penicillin, as there is some evidence of partial cross-allergenicity between the penicillins and cephalosporins.

Patients have had severe reactions (including anaphylaxis) to both classes of drugs. If an allergic effect occurs with Cefixime, the drug should be discontinued and the patient treated with appropriate agents if necessary.

Haemolytic anaemia
Drug-induced haemolytic anaemia, including severe cases with a fatal outcome, has been described for cephalosporins (as a class). The recurrence of haemolytic anaemia after re-administration of cephalosporins in a patient with a history of cephalosporin (including cefixime) –associated haemolytic anaemia has also been reported.

Acute renal failure
As with other cephalosporins, cefixime may cause acute renal failure including tubulointerstitial nephritis as an underlying pathological condition. When acute renal failure occurs, cefixime should be discontinued and appropriate therapy and/or measures should be taken.

Renal impairment
Cefixime should be administered with caution in patients with markedly impaired renal function.

Paediatric use
Safety of cefixime in premature or newborn infant has not been established.

Treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics alters the normal flora of the colon and may permit overgrowth of clostridia. Studies indicate that a toxin produced by Clostridium difficile is a primary cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Pseudomembranous colitis is associated with the use of broad-spectrum antibiotics (including macrolides, semi-synthetic penicillins, lincosamides and cephalosporins); it is therefore important to consider its diagnosis in patients who develop diarrhoea in association with the use of antibiotics. Symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis may occur during or after antibiotic treatment.

DRUG INTERACTION

Anticoagulants
In common with other cephalosporins, increases in prothrombin times have been noted in a few patients. Care should therefore be taken in patients receiving anticoagulation therapy. Cefixime should be administered with caution to patients receiving coumarin-type anticoagulants, e.g. warfarin potassium. Since cefixime may enhance effects of the anticoagulants, prolonged prothrombin time with or without bleeding may occur.

Carbamazepine
Elevated carbamazepine levels have been reported in postmarketing experience when cefixime is administered concomitantly. Drug monitoring may be of assistance in detecting alterations in carbamazepine plasma concentrations.

FERTILITY, PREGNANCY AND LACTATION

Pregnancy Category B. Reproduction studies have been performed in mice and rats at doses up to 400 times the human dose and have revealed no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the foetus due to cefixime. In the rabbit, at doses up to 4 times the human dose, there was no evidence of a teratogenic effect; there was a high incidence of abortion and maternal death which is an expected consequence of the known sensitivity of rabbits to antibiotic-induced changes in the population of the microflora of the intestine. There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Cefixime should therefore not be used in pregnancy or in nursing mothers unless considered essential by the physician.

EFFECTS ON ABILITY TO DRIVE AND USE MACHINES

In the case of side effects such as encephalopathy (which may include convulsion, confusion, impairment of consciousness, movement disorders), the patient should not operate machines or drive a vehicle.

ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS

Fixed drug eruption (FDE) has been reported with cephalosporin class formulations.

Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP)

Mouth ulceration
It is reported that Cefixime formulations may cause mouth ulceration.

  • Cefixime is generally well tolerated. The majority of adverse reactions observed in clinical trials were mild and self-limiting in nature. The following are the undesirable effects reported with Cefixime: Diarrhoea, loose stools, abdominal pain, dyspepsia, nausea, and vomiting. Several cases of documented pseudomembranous colitis were identified during the studies. The onset of pseudomembranous colitis symptoms may occur during or after therapy.
  • Anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions (including shock and fatalities), skin rashes, urticaria, drug fever, pruritus, angioedema, and facial edema.
  • Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and serum sickness-like reactions have been reported.
  • Transient elevations in SGPT, SGOT, alkaline phosphatase, hepatitis, jaundice.
  • Transient elevations in BUN or creatinine, acute renal failure.Headaches, dizziness, seizures.
  • Transient thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, neutropenia, and eosinophilia.
  • Prolongation in prothrombin time was seen rarely.
  • Hyperbilirubinemia, Genital pruritus, vaginitis, candidiasis, toxic epidermal necrolysis.
  • Diarrhoea has been more commonly associated with higher doses. Some cases of moderate to severe diarrhoea have been reported; this has occasionally warranted cessation of therapy. cefixime should be discontinued if marked diarrhoea occurs.

OVERDOSE

There is a risk of encephalopathy in cases of administration of beta-lactam antibiotics, including cefixime, particularly in case of overdose or renal impairment. Adverse reactions seen at dose levels up to 2g Cefixime in normal subjects did not differ from the profile seen in patients treated at the recommended doses. Cefixime is not removed from the circulation in significant quantities by dialysis. No specific antidote exists. General supportive measures are recommended.

PHARMACOLOGICAL PROPERTIES

Pharmacotherapeutic group: third generation cephalosporin.
Cefixime is an oral third generation cephalosporin which has marked in vitro bactericidal activity against a wide variety of Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. Clinical efficacy has been demonstrated in infections caused by commonly occurring pathogens including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis, Klebsiella species, Haemophilus influenzae (beta-lactamase positive and negative), Branhamella catarrhalis (betalactamase positive and negative) and Enterobacter species. It is highly stable in the presence of betalactamase enzymes. Like all beta-lactam antibiotics, cefixime binds to specific penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) located inside the bacterial cell wall, causing the inhibition of the third and last stage of bacterial cell wall synthesis. Cell lysis is then mediated by bacterial cell wall autolytic enzymes such as autolysins; it is possible that cefixime interferes with an autolysin inhibitor.

Absorption
Only 40 to 50 % of an oral dose of Cefixime is absorbed from gastrointestinal tract, whether taken before or after meals, although the rate of absorption may be decreased in the presence of food.

Distribution
Serum protein binding is well characterised for human and animal sera; cefixime is almost exclusively bound to the albumin fraction, the mean free fraction being approximately 30%. Protein binding of cefixime is only concentration dependent in human serum at very high concentrations which are not seen following clinical dosing.

Metabolism
Metabolites of cefixime have not been isolated from human serum or urine.

Excretion
Cefixime is predominantly eliminated as unchanged drug in the urine. Glomerular filtration is considered the predominant mechanism.

INCOMPATIBILITY

None stated.