BRITCIN

Usual adult dosage (including elderly patients):

Ear, nose and throat infections: 250 mg, four times a day Skin and soft tissue infections: 250 mg, four times a day Bronchitis: Routine therapy: 250 mg, four times a day High-dosage therapy: 1 g, four times a day Pneumonia: 500 mg, four times a day Urinary tract infections: 500 mg, three times a day Enteric fever: Acute: 1-2 g, four times a day for 2 weeks Carriers: 1-2 g, four times a day for 4-12 weeks Gastro intestinal infections: 500-750 mg, three to four times daily Gonorrhoea: 2 g orally with 1 g probenecid as a single dose Repeated doses are recommended for the treatment of females Usual children’s dosage (under 10 years): Half the adult dose.

All recommended dosages are a guide only. In severe infections the above dosages may be increased. Oral doses of ampicillin should be taken half to one hour before meals.

Renal impairment:

In the presence of severe renal impairment (creatinine clearance <10 ml/min) a reduction in dose or extension of dose interval should be considered. In cases of dialysis, an additional dose should be administered after the procedure.

Route of Administration:

Oral

Gastrointestinal reactions:

Effects include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Pseudomembraneous colitis and haemorrhagic colitis have been reported rarely they usually resolve rapidly when treatment is stopped. If they persist they may indicate overgrowth of resistant organisms, requiring specific treatment.

Hypersensitivity reactions:

If any hypersensitivity reaction occurs, the treatment should be discontinued. Skin rash, pruritis and urticaria have been reported occasionally. The incidence is higher in patients suffering from infectious mononucleosis and acute or chronic leukaemia of lymphoid origin.

Purpura has also been reported. Rarely, skin reactions such as erythema multiforme and Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and toxic epidermal necrolysis have been reported. 4 – Warnings) has been reported rarely.

Renal effects:

Interstitial nephritis can occur rarely.

Hepatic effects:

As with other beta-lactam antibiotics, hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice have been reported rarely. As with most other antibiotics, a moderate and transient increase in transaminases has been reported.

Haematological effects:

As with other beta-lactams, haematological effects including transient leucopenia, transient thrombocytopenia and haemolytic anaemia have been reported rarely. Prolongation of bleeding time and prothrombin have also been reported rarely.

Reporting of suspected adverse reactions Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. uk/yellowcard.

Before initiating therapy with ampicillin, careful enquiry should be made concerning previous hypersensitivity reactions to beta-lactam antibiotics. Serious and occasionally fatal hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis) have been reported in patients receiving beta-lactam antibiotics.

Although anaphylaxis is more frequent following parenteral therapy, it has occurred in patients on oral penicillins. These reactions are more likely to occur in individuals with a history of beta-lactam hypersensitivity. Ampicillin should be avoided if infectious mononucleosis and/or acute or chronic leukaemia of lymphoid origin are suspected.

The occurrence of a skin rash has been associated with these conditions following the administration of ampicillin. Prolonged use may occasionally result in overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms. 2).

g. ampicillin, penicillins, cephalosporins) or excipients.