Cefprozil

Cefprozil is a prescription medication used for treating the symptoms of acute otitis media, acute sinusitis, pharyngitis and tonsillitis, and skin infections.

• Cefprozil is available under the following different brand names: Cefzil

Adult and pediatric dosage

Tablet

• 250mg
• 500mg

Oral suspension

• 125mg/5mL
• 250mg/5mL

Pharyngitis & Tonsillitis

Adult and geriatric dosage

• 500 mg orally every day for 10 days

Pediatric dosage

• 2-12 years old: 15 mg/kg/day divided every 12 hours orally for 10 days

Respiratory Tract Infections

Adult and geriatric dosage

• 250-500 mg orally every 12 hours for 10 days

Skin Infections

Adult and geriatric dosage

• 250-500 mg every 12 hours OR 500 mg every day for 10 days

Pediatric dosage

• 2-12 years old: 20 mg/kg orally every day for 10 days

Acute Otitis Media

Pediatric dosage

• 6 months old-12 years old: 30 mg/kg/day divided every 12 hours orally for 10 days

Acute Sinusitis

Pediatric dosage

• 6 months old-12 years old: 15-30 mg/kg/day divided every 12 hours orally for 10 days

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

Common side effects of Cefprozil include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• stomach pain,
• dizziness,
• restlessness,
• hyperactivity,
• stiff or tight muscles,
• unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth,
• itching or skin rash,
• vaginal itching or discharge, or
• diaper rash in an infant taking liquid cefprozil.

Serious side effects of Cefprozil include:

• hives,
• difficult breathing, and
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• fever, 
• sore throat, 
• burning eyes, 
• skin pain, 
• red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling,
• severe stomach pain, watery or bloody diarrhea (even if it occurs months after the last dose);
• fever, chills, sore throat, mouth sores;
• pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion, or weakness;
• easy bruising, unusual bleeding;
• a seizure; or
• kidney problems--little or no urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath.

Rare side effects of Cefprozil include:

• none 

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first

• Cefprozil has severe interactions with no other drugs.
• Cefprozil has serious interactions with the following drugs:
  • BCG vaccine live
  • cholera vaccine
  • typhoid vaccine live
• Cefprozil has moderate interactions with the following drugs:
  • bazedoxifene/conjugated estrogens
  • dienogest/estradiol valerate
  • estradiol
  • ethinylestradiol
  • furosemide
  • hydrochlorothiazide
  • levonorgestrel oral/ethinylestradiol/ferrous bisglycinate
  • mestranol
  • probenecid
  • sodium picosulfate/magnesium oxide/anhydrous citric acid
  • temocillin
  • ticarcillin
  • voclosporin
  • warfarin
• Cefprozil has minor interactions with the following drugs:
  • aminohippurate sodium
  • aspirin
  • aspirin rectal
  • aspirin/citric acid/sodium bicarbonate
  • bendroflumethiazide
  • chloramphenicol
  • chlorothiazide
  • choline magnesium trisalicylate
  • cyclopenthiazide
  • furosemide
  • hydrochlorothiazide
  • methyclothiazide
  • rose hips
  • salicylates (non-asa)
  • sulfasalazine
  • willow bark

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions, concerns.

Contraindications

• Documented hypersensitivity

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Cefprozil?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Cefprozil?”

Cautions

• The oral suspension contains aspartame; not indicated for patients with phenylketonuria
• Careful inquiry should be made to determine if the patient has had previous hypersensitivity to cephalosporins, penicillins, or similar drugs; cross-sensitivity reported among beta-lactam antibiotics; discontinue therapy if a reaction occurs
• Hypersensitivity reactions may require treatment with epinephrine and emergency measures, including intravenous fluids, oxygen, corticosteroids, intravenous antihistamines, pressor amines, and airway management as indicated
• Prescribing antibiotics in the absence of proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to the patient and increases the risk of the development of drug-resistant bacteria
• Prolonged use of therapy may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms; careful observation of patient essential; if superinfection occurs during therapy, appropriate measures should be taken
• Cefprozil should be prescribed with caution in individuals with a history of gastrointestinal disease particularly colitis
• Positive direct Coombs’ tests have been reported during treatment with cephalosporin antibiotics.

Renal impairment

• In patients with known or suspected renal impairment, careful clinical observation and appropriate laboratory studies should be done before and during therapy; a total daily dose of the drug should be reduced in these patients because high and/or prolonged plasma antibiotic concentrations can occur in such individuals from usual doses
• Therapy should be given with caution to patients receiving concurrent treatment with potent diuretics since these agents are suspected of adversely affecting renal function

Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD)

• CDAD reported; may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis; treatment with antibacterial agents alters the normal flora of the colon leading to overgrowth of C. difficile, which produces toxins A and B and contribute to the development of CDAD
• Hypertoxin-producing strains of C. difficile cause increased morbidity and mortality, as these infections can be refractory to antimicrobial therapy and may require colectomy
• CDAD must be considered in all patients who present with diarrhea following antibiotic use; careful medical history is necessary since CDAD has been reported to occur over two months after the administration of antibacterial agents
• If CDAD is suspected or confirmed, ongoing antibiotic use not directed against C. difficile may need to be discontinued; appropriate fluid and electrolyte management, protein supplementation, antibiotic treatment of C. difficile, and surgical evaluation should be instituted as clinically indicated

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use may be acceptable during pregnancy

Lactation

• Low distribution into breast milk; use with caution