Dr. Ogbru received his Doctorate in Pharmacy from the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy in 1995. He completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency at the University of Arizona/University Medical Center in 1996. He was a Professor of Pharmacy Practice and a Regional Clerkship Coordinator for the University of the Pacific School of Pharmacy from 1996-99.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
DRUG CLASS AND MECHANISM: Cefdinir
is a semi-synthetic (partially man-made) oral antibiotic in the cephalosporin
family of antibiotics. The cephalosporin family includes cephalexin (Keflex),
cefaclor (Ceclor), cefuroxime (Zinacef),
cefpodoxime (Vantin), cefixime
(Suprax), cefprozil (Cefzil) as well as many injectable antibiotics. Like other
cephalosporins, cefdinir stops bacteria from
multiplying by preventing bacteria from forming the walls that surround them.
The walls are necessary to protect bacteria from their environment and to keep
the contents of the bacterial cell
together. Bacteria cannot survive without a cell wall. Cefdinir is active
against a very wide spectrum of bacteria, including
Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcus pneumoniae;
Streptococcus pyogenes (the cause of strep throat);
Hemophilus influenzae; Moraxella catarrhalis; E. coli; Klebsiella; and
Proteus
mirabilis. It is not active against Pseudomonas. Therapeutic uses of cefdinir
include otitis media (infections of the middle ear), infections of soft tissues,
and respiratory tract infections. The FDA approved cefdinir in December 1997.
GENERIC AVAILABLE: Yes
PRESCRIPTION: Yes
PREPARATIONS: Capsules: 300 mg; oral suspension, 125 and 250 mg/5 mL
STORAGE: Cefdinir should be stored at room temperature, between 59-86
F (15-30 C). The suspension may be stored at room for up to 10 days after mixing.
PRESCRIBED FOR: Cefdinir is
effective against susceptible bacteria causing infections of the middle ear
(otitis media), tonsils (tonsillitis), throat, larynx (laryngitis), bronchi
(bronchitis), lungs (pneumonia), skin and other
soft tissues.
DOSING: Cefdinir is taken once
or twice daily, depending on the nature and severity of the infection. The
capsules or suspension can be taken with or without food. Patients with advanced
kidney disease may need to take lower doses
to prevent accumulation of cefdinir since it is eliminated from the body by the
kidneys.
For adult infections the usual dose is 300 mg every 12 hours or 600 mg per
day for 5-10 days depending on the nature and severity of the infection. The
recommended dose for children 6 months to 12 years of age is 7 mg/kg every 12
hours or 14 mg/kg per day for 5-10 days depending on the infection. For most
infections once daily dosing is as effective as twice daily dosing, though once
daily dosing has not been evaluated for the treatment of skin infections or
pneumonia.
DRUG INTERACTIONS:Aluminum or magnesium containing
antacids reduce the absorption of cefdinir from the intestine. Separating the administration of
cefdinir and such antacids by two hours prevents this interaction.
Pneumonia is inflammation of one or both lungs with consolidation. Pneumonia is frequently but not always due to infection. The infection may be bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic. Symptoms may include fever, chills, cough with sputum production, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
Staphylococcus or Staph is a group of bacteria that can cause a multitude of diseases. Staph infections can cause illness directly by infection or indirectly by the toxins they produce. Symptoms and signs of a Staph infection include redness, swelling, pain, and drainage of pus. Minor skin infections are treated with an antibiotic ointment, while more serious infections are treated with intravenous antibiotics.
Strep throat is a sore throat caused by a bacterium called streptococcus (strep) that can be treated through antibiotics. Common symptoms of strep throat include pinkeye, runny nose, skin rash, cough, hoarseness, diarrhea and more. Complications of untreated strep throat include middle ear infections, meningitis, pneumonia, rheumatic fever, and more.
Bronchitis is a disease of the respiratory system in which the bronchial passages become inflamed. There are two types of bronchitis, acute and chronic. Symptoms of acute bronchitis include frequent cough with mucus, lack of energy, wheezing, and possible fever. Treatment may require medication such as bronchial inhalers and predinsone. Supportive treatment is focused on relieving the symptoms with fever reducers, cough suppressants, and rest. Treatment may be more aggressive in patients with pre-existing conditions such as empyema, COPD, or cigarette smoking.
Group B strep are bacteria called Streptococcus agalactiae that may sometimes cause infections both in a pregnant woman and her newborn. Symptoms include fever, seizures, heart rate abnormalities, breathing problems, and fussiness. Intravenous antibiotics are used to treat group B strep infections.
It is thought that the tonsils and adenoids assist the body in fighting incoming bacteria and viruses by helping the body form antibodies. This is thought to be important only during the first year of life. Acute tonsillitis, strep throat, mononucleosis (mono), chronic tonsillitis, peritonsillar abscess, and hypertrophic tonsils and adenoids are all common problems involving the tonsils and adenoids. Treatment of tonsillitis and adenoids include antibiotics and other medications depending on the cause. In some cases, a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy (the removal of the tonsils or adenoids) may be necessary.
Middle ear infection or inflammation (otitis media) is inflammation fo the middle ear. There are two types of otitis media, acute and chronic. Acute otitis media is generally short in duration, and chronic otitis media generally lasts several weeks. Seventy-five percent of children in the U.S. suffer from otitis media at some point. Treatment depends upon the type (chronic or acute).
There are many types of E. Coli (Escherichia coli ). Pathogenic E. coli can cause urinary tract and bladder infections, or lead to sepsis. E coli O157:H7 (EHEC) causes bloody diarrhea and colitis. Complications of E. coli infection include hemorrhagic diarrhea, hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. E coli O157:H7 commonly is due to eating raw or undercooked hamburger or raw milk or dairy products.
Group A streptococcal infections are caused by group A streptococcus, a bacteria that causes a variety of health problems, including strep throat, impetigo, cellulitis, erysipelas, and scarlet fever. There are more than 10 million group A strep infections each year.
Staphylococcus is a group of bacteria that can cause a number of diseases as a result of infection of various tissues of the body.
Staphylococcus is more familiarly known as Staph (pronounced "staff"). Staph-related illness can range from mild and requiring no treatment to severe and potentially fatal.
The name Staphylococcus comes from the Greek staphyle, meaning a bunch of grapes, and
kokkos, meaning berry, and that is what Staph bacteria look like under the microscope, like a bunch of grapes or little round berries. (In technical terms, these are gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, usually unencapsulated cocci.)
Over 30 different types of Staphylococci can infect humans, but most infections are caused by
Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococci can be found normally in the nose and on the skin (and less commonly in other locations) of 25%-30% of healthy adults. In the majo...
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