Fortaz: profile and news

New drug program puts family in scramble Jan 13, 2006
...and pancreas. She also has a blood infection. Her condition requires daily infusions of the antibiotic Fortaz. The Crouch family ... - Charlotte Sun-Herald,

Many meds don't mix with the sun Sep 21, 2005
Aacyclovir (Zovirax), amantadine (Symmetrel), azi-thromycin (Zithromax), capreomycin (Capastat), cefazolin (Ancef), ceftazidime (Fortaz), ciprofloxacin (Cipro ... - Pioneer Press,

Intertrigo and Common Secondary Skin Infections Aug 30, 2005
...daily for 10 days) is another option, but some patients may need parenteral therapy instead (eg, 1 to 3 g daily of intramuscular ceftazidime [Fortaz], 2 g ... - American Family Physician

Other information

Indication
For the treatment of the following infections (respiratory, skin, soft tissue, urinary tract infections, ear, nose, throat infectsion) caused by; S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, staphylococci, S. pyogenes (group A ß-hemolytic streptococci), E. coli, P. mirabilis, Klebsiella sp, coagulase-negative staph. Also used to treat acute bacterial bronchitis in patients with COPD

Pharmacology
Cefuroxime, a second-generation cephalosporin, is used to treat severe upper and lower respiratory tract infections, skin infections, otitis media, and surgical prophylaxis.

Mechanism Of Action
Cefuroxime, like the penicillins, is a beta-lactam antibiotic. By binding to specific penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) located inside the bacterial cell wall, it inhibits 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 cefuroxime interferes with an autolysin inhibitor.

Drug Category
Anti-bacterial Agents; Cephalosporins; ATC:J01DC02

Brand Names/Synonyms
Ancef; Biofuroksym; Ceclor; Ceclor Cd; Cedax; Cefditoren; Cefizox; Cefotan; Ceftin; Ceftizoxime Sodium; Cefurax; Cefuril; Cefuroxim; Cefuroxime; Cefuroxime Axetil; Cefuroxime Free Acid; Cefuroxime Sodium; Cefuroxime Sodium Salt; Cefuroxime [Usan:Ban:Inn]; Cefuroxime and Dextrose in Duplex Container; Cefuroximo [Inn-Spanish]; Cefuroximum [Inn-Latin]; Cefzil; Cephuroxime; Ceptaz; Duricef; Elobact; Fortaz; Keflex; Keftab; Kefurox; Kefurox in Plastic Container; Kerurox; Mandol; Maxipime; Mefoxin; Monocid; Omnicef; Oraxim; Rocephin; Sharox; Tazicef; Vantin; Velosef; Zinacef; Zinacef Danmark; Zinacef in Plastic Container; Zinat; Zinnat

Dosage Forms
POWDER; POWDER FOR SOLUTION; TABLET

Absorption
Well absorbed from the GI tract (bioavailability is 37-52%)

Interactions
-->Interactions for Cefuroxime:

Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions: A false-positive reaction for glucose in the urine may occur with copper reduction tests (Benedictís or Fehlingís solution or with ClinitestÒ tablets) but not with enzyme-based tests for glycosuria. As a false-negative result may occur in the ferricyanide test, it is recommended that either the glucose oxidase or hexokinase method be used to determine blood plasma glucose levels in patients receiving cefuroxime.

Cefuroxime does not interfere with the assay of serum and urine creatinine by the alkaline picrate method.

Chemical IUPAC Name
4-(carbamoyloxymethyl)-8-[2-(2-furyl)-2-methoxyimino-acetyl]amino-7-oxo-2-thia-6-azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-4-ene-5-carboxylic acid

Chemical Formula
C16H16N4O8S

Half Life
~80 minutes

Drug Type
Approved Drug

# Accession No
APRD00285

CAS Registry Number
55268-75-2