Rocephin

What is it?

An antibiotic and cephalosporin, available as a powder in vials for reconstitution and injection, in 3 strengths containing 250mg, lg and 2g of ceftriaxone.

Medical Uses

Meningitis, pneumonia, septicaemia. Infections of bone, skin and soft tissue. Gonorrhoea, preventative against infection for patients undergoing operations, infections in patients with neutropenia.

Dosage

Adults, lg each day by deep intramuscular injection or slow intravenous injection lasting 2 to 4 minutes or by infusion. If infection is severe, 2-4g as 1 dose every 24 hours. Gonorrhoea, 250mg as one dose by intramuscular route; preventative, lg intramuscularly or by slow intravenous injection; colorectal surgery, 2g intramuscularly or by slow intravenous injection or infusion with anaerobic antibacterial drug. Children, usual dose of 20 to 50mg per kg of body weight daily by the same means as in adults; up to 80mg per kg of body weight for severe infections (50mg in newborn babies). Doses over 50mg per kg should be given by infusion lasting at least 30 minutes. Children weighing over 50kg should receive adult dose.

Special Care

Severe liver or kidney disease, hypersensitivity to 13-lactam. Only for use in pregnant women when there is no other alternative.

Known Side Effects

Skin infections, blood changes, gastrointestinal upset. In rare cases, raised liver enzymes, bronchospasm, pseudomembranous colitis, sugar in urine, low urine output, precipitates in urine and bile, blood in urine, panereatitis. Any adverse side effects should be reported to the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM).