Formulary
Cefadroxil: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Cephalosporins are antibacterials that attach to penicillin binding proteins to interrupt cell wall biosynthesis, leading to bacterial cell lysis and death.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Cefadroxil: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Cephalosporins are antibacterials that attach to penicillin binding proteins to interrupt cell wall biosynthesis, leading to bacterial cell lysis and death.
Drug action
Cephalosporins are antibacterials that attach to penicillin binding proteins to interrupt cell wall biosynthesis, leading to bacterial cell lysis and death.
Indications and dose
**Susceptible infections due to sensitive Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria**
- **Child** (By Mouth): 6-17 years (body-weight 40 kg and above) 0.5-1 g twice daily.
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 0.5-1 g twice daily.
**Skin infections,Soft-tissue infections,Uncomplicated urinary-tract infections**
- **Child** (By Mouth): 6-17 years (body-weight 40 kg and above) 1 g once daily.
- **Adult** (By Mouth): 1 g daily.
**Susceptible infections due to sensitive Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria for cefadroxil**
- **Child 6-17 years (body-weight up to 40 kg)** (By mouth): 0.5 g twice daily.
- **Child 6-17 years (body-weight 40 kg and above)** (By mouth): 0.5-1 g twice daily.
**Skin infections, Soft-tissue infections, Uncomplicated urinary-tract infections for cefadroxil**
- **Child 6-17 years (body-weight 40 kg and above)** (By mouth): 1 g once daily.
Side effects
Common or very common Abdominal pain; diarrhoea; dizziness; eosinophilia; headache; leucopenia; nausea; neutropenia; pseudomembranous enterocolitis; skin reactions; thrombocytopenia; vomiting Uncommon Anaphylactic reaction; angioedema Rare or very rare Agranulocytosis; haemolytic anaemia; nephritis tubulointerstitial (reversible); severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs) Side-effects For cefadroxil Common or very common Dyspepsia; glossitis Uncommon Increased risk of infection Rare or very rare Arthralgia; drug fever; fatigue; hepatic disorders; insomnia; nervousness; serum sickness-like reaction
Pregnancy
Not known to be harmful.
Breast feeding
Present in milk in low concentration, but appropriate to use.
Renal impairment
Dose adjustments In adults: 1 g initially, then 500 mg every 12 hours if eGFR 26-50 mL/minute/1.73 m 2 . 1 g initially, then 500 mg every 24 hours if eGFR 11-26 mL/minute/1.73 m 2 . 1 g initially, then 500 mg every 36 hours if eGFR less than 11 mL/minute/1.73 m 2 . In children: Reduce dose if estimated glomerular filtration rate less than 50 mL/minute/1.73 m 2 .
Medicinal forms
Clinical governance
**Author:** MedNext Clinical Team. **Clinical reviewer:** Dr Shameer Deen, MBBS, MS, MRCS. **Sources:** BNF, Indian Pharmacopoeia, CIMS India. **Correction:** Report errors at support@mednext.academy.
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