Composition
IV Inj 500 mg/1 gm: Meropenem 500 mg/1 gm; powder in vials.
Indications & Dosage
Aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections, Hospital-acquired septicaemia: BY IV INF, OR BY IV INJ: Adult: 0.5-1 g every 8 hours. Children above 3 months: 10- 20 mg/kg by IV bolus injection over 5 min or by IV INF over 15- 30 min every 8 hr. Exacerbations of chronic lower respiratory-tract infection in cystic fibrosis: BY IV INF, OR BY IV INJ: Adult: 2 g every 8 hours. Children above 3 months: 10- 20 mg/kg by IV bolus injection over 5 min or by IV INF over 15- 30 min every 8 hr. Meningitis, Endocarditis (in combination with another antibacterial): BY IV INF, OR BY IV INJ: Adult: 2 g every 8 hours. Children above 3 months: 40mg/kg by IV bolus injection over 5 min or by IV INF over 15- 30 min every 8 hr.
Administration
Dilute in 50-200 ml infusion fluid & give over 15-30 min. Doses of 1 gm also may be administered as an IV bolus injection (5-20 ml) over approx 3-5 min.
Compatibility
Stable in D5W, D10W or NS.
Stability
Store dry powder at 20C-25C (68F-77F). Freshly prepared solutions should be used whenever pos-sible. Reconstituted solutions are stable at 15C-25C (59F-77F), or under refrigeration at 4C (39F). Solutions of meropenem should not be frozen. Solutions constituted with SWFI for bolus administration (meropenem up to 50 mg/ml) may be stored for up to 2 hours at 15C-25C (59F779, or for up to 12 hours at 4C (39F).
Precautions
Avoid if history of immediate hypersensitivity reaction to beta-lactama ntibacterials. Use with caution in patients with sensitivity to beta lactam antibacterials, hepatic impairment; monitor liver function, renal impairment; dose adjustment, history of colitis.
Interactions
Other nephrotoxic drugs, probenecid
Pregnancy
Avoid unless potential benefit outweighs risk.
Lactation
Caution advised, avoid
Side Effects
Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, disturbances in liver function tests, headache, nausea, pruritus, rash, thrombocythaemia, vomiting, eosinophilia, leucopenia, paraesthesia, thrombocytopenia, convulsions, antibiotic-associated colitis, haemolytic anaemia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis