💊 Cefuroxime (Cefuroxime)
Cefuroxime is a broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic given by injection into a vein or muscle to treat infections caused by susceptible bacteria. It is prescribed by a doctor and is usually given under the supervision of a healthcare professional.
In Arabic: سيفوروكسيم
🏷️ Brand names & manufacturers
Cefuroxime🏭 Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc.DailyMed✅ What it is used for
- Lower respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia
- Urinary tract infections
- Skin and skin-structure infections
- Septicemia
- Meningitis
- Gonorrhea (uncomplicated and disseminated)
- Bone and joint infections
- Preventing infection around certain surgical procedures (per label dosing)
🧪 Active ingredient
Cefuroxime (as the sodium salt) is a semisynthetic, broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections caused by susceptible organisms.
🌿 Benefits
- Active against a range of bacteria that cause respiratory, urinary, skin, and bone infections
- Reaches therapeutic levels in pleural, joint, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in meningitis
- May be used together with an aminoglycoside in some serious infections at the doctor's discretion
📝 How to use
- It is given by injection into a vein or muscle only; the dose and duration are set by the doctor or pharmacist.
- Do not use it on your own or change the dose or length of treatment.
- Complete the course your doctor prescribes even if symptoms improve.
- The dose may be reduced in patients with reduced kidney function.
💊 Dosage forms
- Sterile powder for injection, 750 mg (IM/IV)
- Sterile powder for injection, 1.5 g (IV)
- Pharmacy Bulk Package, 7.5 g
⚠️ Common side effects
- Thrombophlebitis and local reactions at the IV site
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Rash
- Transient rise in liver enzymes
- Decrease in hemoglobin/hematocrit or transient eosinophilia
🚨 Serious — seek medical help
- Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis, angioedema)
- Severe diarrhea or pseudomembranous colitis (can occur even over two months after treatment)
- Seizures, especially in patients with kidney impairment when the dose is not reduced
- Severe skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis
- Interstitial nephritis
- Thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, or leukopenia
⛔ Do not use if
- Known allergy to the cephalosporin class of antibiotics
❗ Warnings & precautions
- Tell your doctor about any previous allergic reactions to cephalosporins, penicillins, or other drugs; use with caution in penicillin-sensitive patients.
- If an allergic reaction occurs, the drug must be stopped; serious reactions may need emergency treatment.
- Report diarrhea during or after treatment immediately.
- Caution and dose adjustment are needed in kidney impairment.
- Prolonged use may lead to overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms.
🔄 Drug interactions
- May reduce the effectiveness of combined estrogen/progesterone oral contraceptives by affecting gut flora.
- Probenecid slows cefuroxime excretion, raising its blood level and half-life (it is deliberately combined for gonorrhea).
- May be used with an aminoglycoside in certain cases under medical supervision.
- Tell your doctor about all medicines you take.
🤰 Pregnancy
Pregnancy Category B: animal studies showed no harm to the fetus, but there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. It should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed, as decided by the doctor.
🍼 Breastfeeding
Cefuroxime is excreted in human milk, so caution should be exercised when it is given to a nursing woman. Consult your doctor.
🧒 Children
Safety and effectiveness in infants under 3 months have not been established. The doctor determines doses for children above 3 months. Accumulation of other cephalosporins in newborns, prolonging drug half-life, has been reported.
👴 Older adults
No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were seen between elderly and younger patients, but because the drug is excreted by the kidneys and elderly patients more often have reduced kidney function, dose selection should be careful and monitoring of kidney function may be useful.
🌡️ Storage
Store the dry powder at 20–25 °C (68–77 °F) and protect it from light. Prepared solutions range from light yellow to amber in color.
⏰ Missed dose
This medicine is given in a healthcare setting on a set schedule; if a dose is missed, inform your doctor or nurse so they can decide what to do. Never double a dose yourself.
🆘 Overdose
Overdose of cephalosporins can cause cerebral irritation leading to convulsions. Serum levels can be reduced by hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Seek emergency medical help if overdose is suspected.
💰 Price & brands in your area
🏛️ Official price in Palestine — Ministry of Health price list:
| Product | Company | Pack | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZINNAT SUSP. 250MG/5ML 50ML cefuroxime axetil Susp. 250mg/5ml | MASROUJI CO. | 50 ml | 18 ₪ |
| ZINAXIM DRY SUSPENSION Cefuroxime125mg | Jepharm Co. | BOTTLE OF 50 ML | 19 ₪ |
| ZINEX 250 MG 10 TAB CEFUROXIME | BPC | 10 TABLETS | 22 ₪ |
| ZINNAT SUSP. 125MG/5ML 50ML cefuroxime axetil Susp. 125mg/5ml | MASROUJI CO. | 50 ml | 22 ₪ |
| Zinnat Tab. 250Mg 10 TAB cefuroxime axetil Tab. 250Mg | MASROUJI CO. | 10 tabs | 23 ₪ |
| ZINEX 250 MG CEFUROXIME | BPC | 14 tab | 30 ₪ |
| ZINNAT SUSP. 250MG/5ML 100 ML cefuroxime axetil Susp. 250mg/5ml | MASROUJI CO. | 100 ml | 37 ₪ |
| ZINEX 500 MG 10 TAB CEFUROXIME | BPC | 10 TABLETS | 40 ₪ |
| Zinnat Tab. 500Mg 10 TAB cefuroxime axetil Tab. 500Mg | MASROUJI CO. | 10 tabs | 43 ₪ |
| ZINEX 500 MG 14 TAB CEFUROXIME | BPC | 14 TABLETS | 55 ₪ |
| Zinacef Inj. 750mg cefuroxime axetil Inj. 750mg | MASROUJI CO. | 5 vial | 71 ₪ |
| ZINAXIM 500MG TABLETS CEFUROXIME AXETIL 500MG | Jepharm Co. | 20 tab | 72 ₪ |
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Mechanism of action
Semisynthetic broad-spectrum parenteral cephalosporin (sodium salt). Serum half-life is approximately 80 minutes after IM or IV injection; about 89% of a dose is excreted by the kidneys within 8 hours.
Labeled dosing
Adults: usual range 750 mg to 1.5 g every 8 hours, usually for 5 to 10 days; 750 mg q8h for uncomplicated UTI, skin/skin-structure infections, disseminated gonococcal infection, and uncomplicated pneumonia; 1.5 g q8h for severe or complicated infections and bone/joint infections; 1.5 g q6h may be required in life-threatening infections. In bacterial meningitis, do not exceed 3 g q8h. Uncomplicated gonorrhea: 1.5 g IM single dose at 2 sites with 1 g oral probenecid. Surgical prophylaxis: 1.5 g IV about 0.5–1 hour before incision. Renal impairment: CrCl >20 mL/min: 750 mg–1.5 g q8h; 10–20: 750 mg q12h; <10: 750 mg q24h; give an additional dose after hemodialysis. The dose is determined by the doctor or pharmacist.
- Continue therapy at least 48–72 hours after the patient becomes asymptomatic or bacterial eradication is shown; at least 10 days for Streptococcus pyogenes infections to guard against rheumatic fever or glomerulonephritis.
- For pseudomembranous colitis not relieved by drug discontinuation or when severe, oral vancomycin is the treatment of choice.
- Surgical drainage is indicated where pus collections are present.
- Cephalosporins, including cefuroxime, have been implicated in seizures, particularly in renal impairment without dose reduction.
- Positive Coombs' test and prolonged prothrombin time may occur.
🎓 Key points for students
- Class: semisynthetic broad-spectrum injectable cephalosporin.
- Indications: lower respiratory, urinary, skin infections, septicemia, meningitis, gonorrhea, bone/joint infections, and surgical prophylaxis.
- Contraindication: hypersensitivity to cephalosporins; caution in penicillin allergy.
- Elimination: ~89% renal within 8 hours; probenecid reduces renal clearance.
- Dose adjustment is required in renal impairment; supplement after hemodialysis.
- Key adverse events: C. difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD), seizures, hypersensitivity, thrombophlebitis.
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What is cefuroxime used for?
It is a cephalosporin antibiotic injected into a vein or muscle to treat bacterial infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract, skin, meningitis, and bone infections.
Can I take it if I am allergic to penicillin?
It is given with caution in penicillin-sensitive patients and is contraindicated in known cephalosporin allergy. Tell your doctor about your allergy history.
What should I do if I get diarrhea during treatment?
Tell your doctor right away; it may signal antibiotic-associated colitis and can occur even weeks after treatment ends.
Does it affect birth control pills?
It may reduce the effectiveness of combined oral contraceptives, so ask your doctor about additional contraception.
Is it safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding?
It is Pregnancy Category B and should be used only if clearly needed; it passes into breast milk, so caution is needed. Consult your doctor.
Does the dose change in kidney disease?
Yes, the dose is reduced according to the degree of kidney impairment, as determined by your doctor.
⚕️ For education only — not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start or stop any medicine without advice. Source: official FDA drug label via openFDA (2018-09), simplified. Updated: 2026-11-10.