Amoxicillin, like cephalexin, interferes with cell wall synthesis by binding penicillin-binding proteins inside the cellular wall leading the destruction of the bacterial cell. Amoxicillin is available as an oral tablet or capsule, chewable tablet, as well as an oral suspension. The brand name of amoxicillin is Amoxil or Polymox. Sign up for Amoxicillin price alerts and find out when the price changes!
Get Price Alerts. Cephalexin has been shown to be active against a variety of bacterial organisms including Escherichia coli , Haemophilus influenzae beta-lactamase negative , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Moraxella catarrhalis , Proteus mirabilis , Staphylococcus aureus MSSA , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Streptococcus pneumoniae , and Streptococcus pyogenes.
The sensitivity of these organisms allows cephalexin to also be effective in treating many common types of infections including upper respiratory infections such as sinusitis , pharyngitis, and tonsillitis.
Amoxicillin is also effective against lower respiratory infections such as community-acquired pneumonia. Other uses of cephalexin include skin infections cellulitis , bone and joint infections, otitis media, and urinary tract infections UTI. Amoxicillin has been shown to be active against a variety of bacterial organisms including Enterococcus faecalis , Escherichia coli , Haemophilus influenzae beta-lactamase negative , Helicobacter pylori , Proteus mirabilis , Staphylococcus sp.
The sensitivity of these organisms allows amoxicillin to also be effective in treating many common types of infections including upper and lower respiratory infections.
Other uses include skin tissue infections, otitis media, and urinary tract infections. Sign up for Cephalexin price alerts and find out when the price changes! Both cephalexin and amoxicillin have commonly been used off-label for endocarditis prophylaxis. Patients with congenital heart defects or prosthetic heart valves are at an increased risk of developing an infection in the lining of their heart after dental procedures. Prophylactic doses of antibiotics such as amoxicillin and cephalexin given prior to these procedures have been shown to decrease the risk of such infections.
The effectiveness of cephalexin or amoxicillin will vary with each bacteria type and each patient. With any sensitive bacteria, each drug may be effective so long as it is dosed appropriately at the correct intervals. The effectiveness of beta-lactam antibiotics are dependent upon the amount of time that free, non-protein bound drug is above the minimum inhibitory concentration MIC of the bacteria.
Another factor in antibiotic therapy is antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria changes in response to an exposure to an antibiotic. The change is adaptive to allow it to survive in spite of the antibiotic.
Repeated or overuse of antibiotics, as well as suboptimal dosing, may contribute to antibiotic resistance. One study sought to compare the symptomatic relapse in pediatric patients with streptococcal tonsillopharyngitis.
This was done by comparing return visits and symptomatic complaints following each type of treatment. The study compared four treatment groups including amoxicillin and first-generation cephalosporins, including cephalexin.
The study found that the incidence of symptomatic relapse was higher in the amoxicillin group than in the first-generation cephalosporin group. The Infectious Disease Society maintains in its guidelines that amoxicillin is the first choice for group A streptococcal pharyngitis. Cephalexin is an acceptable alternative for patients with a penicillin-related allergy. Cephalexin is a prescription medication that is covered by both commercial and Medicare drug insurance plans.
A typical prescription for cephalexin would be written for 28 capsules of the mg strength. Amoxicillin is a prescription medication that is also covered by both commercial and Medicare drug insurance plans. Get the SingleCare prescription discount card. Cephalexin and amoxicillin have a similar list of side effects.
The most common side effect of both medications is diarrhea. Other gastrointestinal side effects include nausea, vomiting, and gastritis.
In rare instances, cases of pseudomembranous colitis have been reported. Anaphylactic reactions may happen with both cephalexin and amoxicillin. Anaphylactic reactions require immediate medical attention. The following list is not intended to be a complete list of possible side effects. Please consult a pharmacist, doctor, or another medical professional for a complete list of possible side effects. Cephalexin may increase the serum concentrations of the common antidiabetic agent metformin.
Most courses of cephalexin are a short duration, so the drugs may be used concurrently as long as the patient is monitored. Amoxicillin may interfere with the serum concentrations of important immunosuppressants. Serum concentrations of methotrexate have been shown to be increased with concurrent use with amoxicillin, while mycophenolate concentrations may be decreased.
These immunosuppressant drugs are used in patients with serious conditions, and therefore patients who require the use of amoxicillin while on these drugs should be monitored closely. Probenecid , when given with cephalexin or amoxicillin, may increase the serum concentrations of either antibiotic. While the use of both at the same time is not contraindicated, patients should be monitored.
Patients with a penicillin allergy should not take amoxicillin. There is evidence to suggest that patients with a penicillin allergy may also have a cross-sensitivity to cephalosporins, including cephalexin. Caution should be used when prescribing cephalexin in penicillin-allergic patients with no prior use of cephalosporins. Pseudomembranous colitis is a rare but serious condition. It involves the swelling and inflammation of the colon due to an overgrowth of clostridium difficile.
Pseudomembranous colitis can occur with a variety of antibiotics, including cephalexin and amoxicillin. Cephalexin and amoxicillin are renally excreted. Patients with decreased or impaired renal function must have their doses adjusted accordingly. Cephalexin is considered pregnancy category B, meaning that animal studies have not shown any teratogenic effects. In these cases, your healthcare provider will likely go ahead and treat your infection with a penicillin or a cephalosporin if applicable.
On the flip side, if you are unsure about your prior reaction to penicillin, or if you healthcare provider remains uncertain whether the reaction was allergic, an evaluation by an allergist should be done.
Let's say you see an allergist, and your skin test is positive for a penicillin allergy. In this case, you should avoid all penicillins. However, you may still be able to take a cephalosporin under the close guidance of your allergist. However, the reaction can be severe. The type of cephalosporin you are taking will also be considered. This is because, while research shows a low risk of reacting to a cephalosporin in people with a penicillin allergy, there is one exception: first-generation cephalosporins like cephalexin Keflex and cefazolin Ancef cause higher rates of allergic reactions in people with a penicillin allergy than in people without a penicillin allergy.
On the flip side, second- and third-generation cephalosporins, such as cefuroxime Ceftin , cefprozil Cefzil , cefdinir Omnicef , and cefpodoxime Vantin , do not appear to cause more allergic reactions in people with a penicillin allergy. The bottom line: while most people with a history of a penicillin allergy can tolerate cephalosporins, many healthcare providers use caution when prescribing one, since reaction to them has the potential to be severe.
In addition, it's important to understand that there are many factors involved in the decision to prescribe a cephalosporin, such as the type of infection that needs to be treated and the appropriateness or availability of non-penicillin, non-cephalosporin antibiotics. If you have been diagnosed with a penicillin allergy or are unsure about your prior reaction to penicillin, talk with your healthcare provider or get a referral to an allergist for further evaluation.
Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions.
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Bhattacharya S. The facts about penicillin allergy: a review. J Adv Pharm Technol Res. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Is It Really a Penicillin Allergy? Medical myth: Ten percent of patients who are allergic to penicillin will have serious reactions if exposed to cephalosporins. West J Med. The use of cephalosporins in penicillin-allergic patients: A literature review. J Emerg Med. Pegler S, Healy B. In patients allergic to penicillin, consider second and third generation cephalosporins for life threatening infections.
Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellHealth. At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Besides penicillin, other beta-lactams include: Penicillin derivatives like amoxicillin Cephalosporins like Keflex cephalexin Carbapenems like Primaxin imipenem.
Penicillin Allergy Testing. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign Up. What are your concerns? Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Effect of a drug allergy educational program and antibiotic prescribing guideline on inpatient clinical providers' antibiotic prescribing knowledge.
J Allergy Clin Immunol Pract.
0コメント