Megacilin

Piperacillin and tazobactam should be administered by intravenous infusion over 30 minutes.

Adult Patients: The usual total daily dose of Piperacillin and tazobactam for adults is 3.375 g every six hours totaling 13.5 g (12.0 g piperacillin/1.5 g tazobactam). The usual duration of treatment is from 7 to 10 days.

Nosocomial Pneumonia: Initial presumptive treatment of patients with nosocomial pneumonia should start with piperacillin and tazobactam at a dosage of 4.5 g every six hours plus an aminoglycoside, totaling 18.0 g (16.0 g piperacillin/2.0 g tazobactam). The recommended duration of the treatment for nosocomial pneumonia is 7 to 14 days. Treatment with the aminoglycoside should be continued in patients from whom Pseudomonas aeroginosa is isolated.

Pediatric Patients: For children with appendicitis and/or peritonitis 9 months of age or older, weighing up to 40 kg, and with normal renal function, the recommended piperacillin and tazobactam dosage is 100 mg piperacillin/12.5 mg tazobactam per kilogram of body weight, every 8 hours. For pediatric patients between 2 months and 9 months of age, the recommended dosage based on Pharmacokinetic modeling, is 80 mg piperacillin/10 mg tazobactam per kilogram of body weight, every 8 hours. Pediatric patients weighing over 40 kg and with normal renal function should receive the adult dose. It has not been determined how to adjust piperacillin and tazobactam dosage in pediatric patients with renal impairment.

Adverse events primarily involving the skin, including rash, pruritus and Purpura; the gastrointestinal system including diarrhea, Constipation, nausea, vomiting, Dyspepsia and Abdominal Pain; General disorders and administration site conditions including Fever, Injection site reaction (≤1%) and Rigors. (≤1%), Immune hypersensitivity reactions, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reactions (including shock) (≤1%), Infections-Candidiasis and Pseudomembranous colitis (≤1%), Metabolism and nutrition disorders- Hypoglycemia (≤1%), Musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders- Myalgia and Arthralgia (≤1%), Psychiatric disorders Insomnia, Vascular disorders- Phlebitis Thrombophlebitis(≤1%), Hypotension(≤1%), Flushing(≤1%), Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders- Epistaxis (≤1%).

There have been post marketing reports of overdose with piperacillin/tazobactam. The majority of those events experienced, including nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, have also been reported with the usual recommended dosages. Patients may experience neuromuscular excitability or convulsions if higher than recommended doses are given intravenously (particularly in the presence of renal failure). Treatment should be supportive and symptomatic according the patient's clinical presentation.

Piperacillin, a broad spectrum, semi-synthetic penicillin active against many gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, exerts bactericidal activity by inhibition of both septum and cell wall synthesis. Tazobactam is a potent inhibitor of many beta-lactamases, including the plasmid and chromosomally mediated enzymes that commonly cause resistance to penicillins. Tazobactam enhances and extends the antibiotic spectrum of Piperacillin to include many beta-lactamase-producing bacteria normally resistant to it. Thus, this infusion combines the properties of a broad-spectrum antibiotic and a beta-lactamase inhibitor.

Serious hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylactic/anaphylactoid) reactions have been reported in patients receiving Piperacillin and tazobactam. Discontinue Piperacillin and tazobactam if a reaction occurs.

Piperacillin and tazobactam may cause severe cutaneous adverse reactions, such as Stevens- Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms, and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis. Discontinue Piperacillin and tazobactam for progressive rashes.

Hematological effects (including bleeding, leukopenia and neutropenia) have occurred. Monitor hematologic tests during prolonged therapy.

Nephrotoxicity in critically ill patients has been observed; the use of Piperacillin and tazobactam was found to be an independent risk factor for renal failure and was associated with delayed recovery of renal function as compared to other beta-lactam antibacterial drugs in a randomized, multicenter, controlled trial in critically ill patients. Based on this study, alternative treatment options should be considered in the critically ill population. If alternative treatment options are inadequate or unavailable, monitor renal function during treatment with Piperacillin and tazobactam.

Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea: Evaluate patients if diarrhea occurs.

Broad spectrum penicillins, Other beta-lactam Antibiotics