Formulary
Meropenem: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Meropenem clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Meropenem: Indications, Dosing, Side Effects and Interactions
Meropenem clinical drug profile including indications, dosing, side effects, cautions and interactions.
Indications and dose
**Aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections,Hospital-acquired septicaemia**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Infusion, Or By Intravenous Injection): 0.5-1 g every 8 hours.
**Exacerbations of chronic lower respiratory-tract infection in cystic fibrosis**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Infusion, Or By Intravenous Injection): 2 g every 8 hours.
**Meningitis**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Infusion, Or By Intravenous Injection): 2 g every 8 hours.
**Endocarditis (in combination with another antibacterial)**
- **Adult** (By Intravenous Infusion, Or By Intravenous Injection): 2 g every 8 hours.
**Aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections, Hospital-acquired septicaemia for meropenem**
- **Neonate up to 7 days** (By intravenous infusion, or by intravenous injection): 20 mg/kg every 12 hours.
- **Neonate 7 days to 28 days** (By intravenous infusion, or by intravenous injection): 20 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- **Child 1 month-11 years (body-weight up to 50 kg)** (By intravenous infusion, or by intravenous injection): 10-20 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- **Child 1 month-11 years (body-weight 50 kg and above)** (By intravenous infusion, or by intravenous injection): 0.5-1 g every 8 hours.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By intravenous infusion, or by intravenous injection): 0.5-1 g every 8 hours.
**Severe aerobic and anaerobic Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections for meropenem**
- **Neonate up to 7 days** (By intravenous infusion, or by intravenous injection): 40 mg/kg every 12 hours.
- **Neonate 7 days to 28 days** (By intravenous infusion, or by intravenous injection): 40 mg/kg every 8 hours.
**Exacerbations of chronic lower respiratory-tract infection in cystic fibrosis for meropenem**
- **Child 1 month-11 years (body-weight up to 50 kg)** (By intravenous infusion): 40 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- **Child 1 month-11 years (body-weight 50 kg and above)** (By intravenous infusion): 2 g every 8 hours.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By intravenous infusion): 2 g every 8 hours.
**Meningitis for meropenem**
- **Neonate up to 7 days** (By intravenous infusion): 40 mg/kg every 12 hours.
- **Neonate 7 days to 28 days** (By intravenous infusion): 40 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- **Child 1 month-11 years (body-weight up to 50 kg)** (By intravenous infusion): 40 mg/kg every 8 hours.
- **Child 1 month-11 years (body-weight 50 kg and above)** (By intravenous infusion): 2 g every 8 hours.
- **Child 12-17 years** (By intravenous infusion): 2 g every 8 hours.
Side effects
Common or very common Abdominal pain; diarrhoea; headache; inflammation; nausea; pain; skin reactions; thrombocytosis; vomiting Uncommon Agranulocytosis; antibiotic associated colitis; eosinophilia; haemolytic anaemia; increased risk of infection; leucopenia; neutropenia; paraesthesia; severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs); thrombocytopenia; thrombophlebitis Rare or very rare Seizure Frequency not known Pseudomembranous enterocolitis
Interactions
**Other interactions (6):**
- Probenecid competes with meropenem for active tubular secretion and thus inhibits the renal excretion of meropenem with the effect of increasing the elimination half-life and plasma concentration of...
- Caution is required if probenecid is co-administered with meropenem.
- The potential effect of meropenem on the protein binding of other medicinal products or metabolism has not been studied.
- Oral anti-coagulants Simultaneous administration of antibiotics with warfarin may augment its anti-coagulant effects.
- There have been many reports of increases in the anti-coagulant effects of orally administered anti-coagulant agents, including warfarin in patients who are concomitantly receiving antibacterial...
- It is recommended that the INR should be monitored frequently during and shortly after coadministration of antibiotics with an oral anti-coagulant agent.
Pregnancy
Use only if potential benefit outweighs risk-no information available.
Breast feeding
Unlikely to be absorbed (however, manufacturer advises avoid).
Renal impairment
Dose adjustments See Prescribing in renal impairment . Use normal dose every 12 hours if creatinine clearance 26-50 mL/minute. M Use half normal dose every 12 hours if creatinine clearance 10-25 mL/minute. M Use half normal dose every 24 hours if creatinine clearance less than 10 mL/minute. M
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.
Inside MedNext for this topic
- 411 MedNext-authored chapters
- 80,000+ MCQ bank
- 15 study modes
- Growing visual cheat sheets
Study modes
- Notes
- MCQ
- Audio
- Video
- Visual
- 3D Anatomy
- Trace
- Flashcards
- Mnemonics
- Image Bank
- Clinical
- Microscopy
- Audio QBank
- Cadaver
- Book Match
Continue reading
Subject HubPharmacology Hub
All pharmacology resources in one place.
Drug SchedulesIndian Drug Schedules
Schedule H, H1, X and G classifications.
FormularyBrowse all drugs
Search 1,850+ drug profiles.
Study Meropenem in the MedNext app
Challenge yourself with targeted pharmacology MCQs on this drug class. Every explanation links back to the chapter that teaches the concept.
Start drug challengeExplore the full formulary

