Dosing

The dose of cefuroxime will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of cefuroxime. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount that you use depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking cefuroxime

• For injection dosage form
  • • Adults and teenagers 750 mg to 3 grams every six to eight hours usually for 5 to 14 days, injected into a muscle or vein. Gonorrhea is treated with a single dose of 1.5 grams, injected into a muscle; the total 1.5-gram dose is divided into two doses and injected into muscles at two separate places on the body, and given along with a single, oral 1-gram dose of probenecid.
    • Infants and children 1 month of age and older 12.5 to 150 mg per kg (5.68 to 68 mg per pound) of body weight every six to eight hours, injected into a muscle or vein.
    • Newborns 30 to 100 mg per kg (13.6 to 45.5 mg per pound) of body weight every eight to twelve hours, injected into a vein.

Missed dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Consult your health care professional about how to store this medicine
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your health care professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For cefuroxime, the following should be considered:

Allergies Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to cefuroxime. Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to any of the cephalosporins, cephamycins, penicillins, penicillin-like medicines, or penicillamine. Also tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy Cefuroxime has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in animals have not shown that cefuroxime causes problems. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding Cefuroxime passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children This medicine has been tested in children and, in effective doses, has not shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults This medicine has been tested in the elderly and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking cefuroxime, it is especially important that your doctor and pharmacist know if you are taking any of the following:

• Aminoglycoside antibiotics such asAmikacin (e.g., Amikin) orGentamicin (e.g., Apogen) orNeomycin (e.g., Mycifradin) may result in increased chance of serious side effects

• Diuretics, potent such asFurosemide (e.g., Lasix) may cause higher blood levels of cefuroxime and result in increased side effects

• Probenecid (e.g., Benemid) will cause higher blood levels of cefuroxime; sometimes your doctor may wish you to take these two drug together to increase the effects of cefuroxime.

• Colitis, history of or
• Gastrointestinal disease, history of cefuroxime may make these worse

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease or
• Poor nutritional status these may be worsened by cefuroxime and you may need to have vitamin K

• Kidney problems, temporary or permanent these may effect how much cefuroxime is in your body, reducing your dose might be needed.