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What is cefuroxime?
Cefuroxime is in a group of drugs called cephalosporin (SEF a low spor in) antibiotics. It works by fighting bacteria in your body. Cefuroxime is used to treat many kinds of bacterial infections, including severe or life-threatening forms. Cefuroxime may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of cefuroxime?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

• seizure (black-out or convulsions); or

• jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin).

Less serious side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain;

• headache, dizziness;

• fussiness or crying (in children);

• sleep problems (insomnia); or

• vaginal itching or discharge.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take cefuroxime?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. You may take cefuroxime tablets with or without meals. Cefuroxime oral suspension (liquid) must be taken with food. Shake the oral suspension well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

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What is the most important information I should know about cefuroxime?
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to cefuroxime, or to similar antibiotics, such as Ceclor, Cefzil, Duricef, Fortaz, Keflex, Omnicef, Spectracef, Suprax, and others. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially penicillin). Also tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, diabetes, heart failure, cancer, a stomach or intestinal disorder, or if you are malnourished. Cefuroxime can make birth control pills less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Tell your doctor if you are taking birth control pills to prevent pregnancy. You may need to use another form of birth control during treatment with cefuroxime.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the medication as soon as you remember the missed dose. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and use the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect cefuroxime?
Before taking cefuroxime, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs: probenecid (Benemid); or a diuretic (water pill) such as amiloride (Midamor, Moduretic), bumetanide (Bumex), chlorthalidone (Hygroton, Thalitone), ethacrynic acid (Edecrin), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HydroDiuril, Hyzaar, Lopressor, Vasoretic, Zestoretic), indapamide (Lozol), metolazone (Mykrox, Zarxolyn), spironolactone (Aldactazide, Aldactone), triamterene (Dyrenium, Maxzide, Dyazide), torsemide (Demadex), and others.

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Cefuroxime has been assigned to pregnancy category B by the FDA. Animal studies failed to reveal evidence of fetal harm. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Cefuroxime should only be given during pregnancy when need has been clearly established.

In one study of seven pregnant women, cefuroxime 750 mg intravenously one to eight hours before delivery revealed passage of the drug across the placenta. The average maternal plasma, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord, and neonatal plasma cefuroxime levels ranged from 0 to 24, 1.2 to 18.0, less than 2.0 to 11.0, and less than 2.0 to 3.6 mcg per mL, respectively. No adverse effects on the fetus or neonates were observed. The Michigan Medicaid surveillance study showed no association between cefuroxime and congenital defects. This report is a summary of information from a study in which 143 of 229,000 pregnant women from 1985 to 1992 received cefuroxime. There were three defects observed relative to six expected. Neither cleft palate nor cardiovascular defects were observed. These data do not support an association between cefuroxime and congenital defects. In one study of 78 pregnant women between 15 to 35 weeks' gestation who were given cefuroxime 750 mg intravenously 8 to 138 minutes prior to delivery, the average fetal plasma levels were 7.4 mcg per mL (normal fetuses), 6.2 mcg per mL (hydropic fetuses), and 4.9 mcg per mL (oligohydramniotic fetuses). These data show that transplacental passage is significantly reduced in the presence of oligohydramnios. Incidentally, the plasma clearance of cefuroxime is significantly increased and the elimination half-life significantly decreased during pregnancy.

Cefuroxime is excreted into human milk. Adverse effects in the nursing infant are unlikely. Other cephalosporins have been classified as compatible with breast-feeding by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Although the human milk concentration of some cephalosporins is relatively low, some experts warn about the possibility of unknown direct effects on the nursing infant, modification of neonatal bowel flora, and difficulty in the interpretation of culture results in the evaluation of suspected neonatal infection.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known hypersensitivity to cefuroxime or other cephalosporins.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include seizure (black-out or convulsions).

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What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking cefuroxime?
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to cefuroxime, or to other cephalosporin antibiotics, such as: cefaclor (Ceclor); cefadroxil (Duricef); cefdinir (Omnicef); cefditoren (Spectracef); cefixime (Suprax); cefprozil (Cefzil); ceftazidime (Fortaz); cephalexin (Keflex); and others. Before taking cefuroxime, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially penicillins), or if you have: kidney disease; liver disease; a stomach or intestinal disorder such as colitis;

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
If you have been diagnosed with a disease for which an antibiotic is needed, you must complete the prescribed course of treatment. Even if you start to feel better, do not skip any doses and remember to take the medication until it is all gone.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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