Cefamandole and cefoxitin.

Abstract

Cefamandole and cefoxitin, introduced only 7 years ago, are now the most commonly prescribed parenteral antibiotics in the United States. These drugs are similar to the first-generation cephalosporins in toxicity, but their in-vitro spectrum of activity is greater. Their serum half-lives are longer than those of cephalothin and cephapirin but shorter than that of cefazolin. Although cefamandole has been recommended in empiric therapy for patients with community-acquired pneumonia and as a prophylactic agent for patients having various surgical procedures, other regimens are less expensive and just as effective. Cefamandole should not be used to treat intra-abdominal, enterobacter, or ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae infections. Cefoxitin is effective in the treatment and prevention of mixed aerobic-anaerobic skin and soft-tissue, intra-abdominal, gynecologic, and penicillinase-producing, spectinomycin-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections. Cefoxitin represents a greater advance than cefamandole in our continuing search for safe and more effective antimicrobial agents.

• Authors: C V Sanders, R N Greenberg, R L Marier
• Journal: Annals of internal medicine (Ann Intern Med) Vol. 103 Issue 1 Pg. 70-8 (Jul 1985) ISSN: 0003-4819 [Print] United States
• PMID: 3890658 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Cefamandole
• Cefoxitin

Topics

• Bacteria (drug effects)
• Bacterial Infections (drug therapy)
• Cefamandole (administration & dosage, adverse effects, metabolism, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cefoxitin (administration & dosage, adverse effects, metabolism, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Child
• Costs and Cost Analysis
• Drug Resistance, Microbial
• Female
• Humans
• Infant
• Kinetics
• Premedication