Drug Reference

Cefpodoxime

Third-generation cephalosporins

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Fact box

Therapeutic class
Third-generation cephalosporins
Action class
Cephalosporin Antibacterial
Chemical class
Cephalosporins
Habit forming
No
Availability
Prescription (Rx)

Brand names

CefpodermDermacephSimplicef

Available as

8 MG/ML · Oral Suspension100 MG · Oral Tablet20 MG/ML · Oral Suspension200 MG · Oral Tablet10 MG/ML · Oral Suspension

FDA label sections are from openFDA and may not reflect the most recent labeling — confirm against the current DailyMed label.

Uses
INDICATIONS AND USAGE Cefpodoxime proxetil is indicated for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated microorganisms in the conditions listed below. Recommended dosages, durations of therapy, and applicable patient populations vary among these infections. Please see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION for specific recommendations. Acute otitis media caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (excluding penicillin-resistant strains), Streptococcus pyogenes, Haemophilusinfluenzae (including beta-lactamase-producing strains), or Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis (including beta-lactamase-producing strains). Pharyngitis and/or tonsillitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes . NOTE: Only penicillin by the intramuscular route of administration has been shown to be effective in the prophylaxis of rheumatic fever. Cefpodoxime proxetil is generally effective in the eradication of streptococci from the oropharynx. However, data establishing the efficacy of cefpodoxime proxetil for the prophylaxis of subsequent rheumatic fever are not available. Community-acquired pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae or H. Influenzae (including beta-lactamase-producing strains). Acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis caused by S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae beta-lactamase-producing strains only), or M. catarrhalis. Data are insufficient at this time to establish efficacy in patients with acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis caused by beta-lactamase-producing strains of H. influenzae. Acute, uncomplicated urethral and cervical gonorrhea caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (including penicillinase-producing strains). Acute, uncomplicated ano-rectal infections in women due to Neisseria gonorrhoeae (including penicillinase-producing strains). NOTE: The efficacy of cefpodoxime in treating male patients with rectal infections caused by N. gonorrhoeae has not been established. Data do not support the use of cefpodoxime proxetil in the treatment of pharyngeal infections due to N. gonorrhoeae in men or women. Uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus (including penicillinase-producing strains) or Streptococcus pyogenes . Abscesses should be surgically drained as clinically indicated. NOTE: In clinical trials, successful treatment of uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections was dose-related. The effective therapeutic dose for skin infections was higher than those used in other recommended indications. (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION .) Acute maxillary sinusitis caused by Haemophilusinfluenzae (including beta-lactamase-producing strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae , and Moraxella catarrhalis. Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (cystitis) caused by Escherichia coli, Klebsiellapneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis , or Staphylococcus saprophyticus . NOTE: In considering the use of cefpodoxime proxetil in the treatment of cystitis, cefpodoxime proxetil’s lower bacterial eradication rates should be weighed against the increased eradication rates and different safety profiles of some other classes of approved agents. (See CLINICAL STUDIES section.) Appropriate specimens for bacteriological examination should be obtained in order to isolate and identify causative organisms and to determine their susceptibility to cefpodoxime. Therapy may be instituted while awaiting the results of these studies. Once these results become available, antimicrobial therapy should be adjusted accordingly. To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of cefpodoxime proxetil tablets, and other antibacterial drugs, cefpodoxime proxetil tablets should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and su
How it works
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Absorption and Excretion Cefpodoxime proxetil is a prodrug that is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and de-esterified to its active metabolite, cefpodoxime. Following oral administration of 100 mg of cefpodoxime proxetil to fasting subjects, approximately 50% of the administered cefpodoxime dose was absorbed systemically. Over the recommended dosing range (100 to 400 mg), approximately 29 to 33% of the administered cefpodoxime dose was excreted unchanged in the urine in 12 hours. There is minimal metabolism of cefpodoxime in vivo. Effects of Food The extent of absorption (mean AUC) and the mean peak plasma concentration increased when film coated tablets were administered with food. Following a 200 mg tablet dose taken with food, the AUC was 21 to 33% higher than under fasting conditions, and the peak plasma concentration averaged 3.1 mcg/mL in fed subjects versus 2.6 mcg/mL in fasted subjects. Time to peak concentration was not significantly different between fed and fasted subjects. When a 200 mg dose of the suspension was taken with food, the extent of absorption (mean AUC) and mean peak plasma concentration in fed subjects were not significantly different from fasted subjects, but the rate of absorption was slower with food (48% increase in T max ). Pharmacokinetics of cefpodoxime proxetil film-coated tablets Over the recommended dosing range (100 to 400 mg), the rate and extent of cefpodoxime absorption exhibited dose-dependency; dose-normalized C max and AUC decreased by up to 32% with increasing dose. Over the recommended dosing range, the T max was approximately 2 to 3 hours and the T1/2 ranged from 2.09 to 2.84 hours. Mean C max was 1.4 mcg/mL for the 100 mg dose, 2.3 mcg/mL for the 200 mg dose, and 3.9 mcg/mL for the 400 mg dose. In patients with normal renal function, neither accumulation nor significant changes in other pharmacokinetic parameters were noted following multiple oral doses of up to 400 mg Q 12 hours. Cefpodoxime Plasma Levels (mcg/mL) in Fasted Adults After Film-coated Tablet Administration (Single Dose) Dose Time after Oral Ingestion (Cefpodoxime Equivalents ) 1hr 2hr 3hr 4hr 6hr 8hr 12hr 100 mg 0.98 1.4 1.3 1 0.59 0.29 0.08 200 mg 1.5 2.2 2.2 1.8 1.2 0.62 0.18 400 mg 2.2 3.7 3.8 3.3 2.3 1.3 0.38 Distribution Protein binding of cefpodoxime ranges from 22 to 33% in serum and from 21 to 29% in plasma. Skin Blister Following multiple-dose administration every 12 hours for 5 days of 200 mg or 400 mg cefpodoxime proxetil, the mean maximum cefpodoxime concentration in skin blister fluid averaged 1.6 and 2.8 mcg/mL, respectively. Skin blister fluid cefpodoxime levels at 12 hours after dosing averaged 0.2 and 0.4 mcg/mL for the 200 mg and 400 mg multiple-dose regimens, respectively. Tonsil Tissue Following a single, oral 100 mg cefpodoxime proxetil film-coated tablet, the mean maximum cefpodoxime concentration in tonsil tissue averaged 0.24 mcg/g at 4 hours post-dosing and 0.09 mcg/g at 7 hours pos
How to use / dosing
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION (See INDICATIONS AND USAGE for indicated pathogens.) Film-coated Tablets Cefpodoxime Proxetil Tablets, USP should be administered orally with food to enhance absorption. ( See CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY .) The recommended dosages, durations of treatment, and applicable patient population are as described in the following chart: Adults and Adolescents (age 12 years and older) Type of Infection Total Daily Dose Dose Frequency Duration Pharyngitis and/or tonsillitis 200 mg 100 mg Q 12 hours 5 to 10 days Acute community acquired - pneumonia 400 mg 200 mg Q 12 hours 14 days Acute bacterial exacerbations of chronic bronchitis 400 mg 200 mg Q 12 hours 10 days Uncomplicated gonorrhea (men and women) and rectal gonococcal infections (women) 200 mg single dose Skin and skin structure 800 mg 400 mg Q 12 hours 7 to 14 days Acute maxillary sinusitis 400 mg 200 mg Q 12 hours 10 days Uncomplicated urinary tract infection 200 mg 100 mg Q 12 hours 7 days Patients with Renal Dysfunction For patients with severe renal impairment (<30 mL/min creatinine clearance), the dosing intervals should be increased to Q 24 hours. In patients maintained on hemodialysis, the dose frequency should be 3 times/week after hemodialysis. When only the serum creatinine level is available, the following formula (based on sex, weight, and age of the patient) may be used to estimate creatinine clearance (mL/min). For this estimate to be valid, the serum creatinine level should represent a steady state of renal function. Males: Weight (kg) × (140 - age) (mL/min) 72 × serum creatinine (mg/100 mL) Females: 0.85 × above value (mL/min) Patients with Cirrhosis Cefpodoxime pharmacokinetics in cirrhotic patients (with or without ascites) are similar to those in healthy subjects. Dose adjustment is not necessary in this population.
Side effects
ADVERSE REACTIONS Clinical Trials Film-coated Tablets (Multiple dose) In clinical trials using multiple doses of cefpodoxime proxetil film-coated tablets, 4696 patients were treated with the recommended dosages of cefpodoxime (100 to 400 mg Q 12 hours). There were no deaths or permanent disabilities thought related to drug toxicity. One-hundred twenty-nine (2.7%) patients discontinued medication due to adverse events thought possibly or probably related to drug toxicity. Ninety-three (52%) of the 178 patients who discontinued therapy (whether thought related to drug therapy or not) did so because of gastrointestinal disturbances, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The percentage of cefpodoxime proxetil-treated patients who discontinued study drug because of adverse events was significantly greater at a dose of 800 mg daily than at a dose of 400 mg daily or at a dose of 200 mg daily. Adverse events thought possibly or probably related to cefpodoxime in multiple-dose clinical trials (N=4696 cefpodoxime-treated patients) were: Incidence Greater Than 1 % Diarrhea 7 % Diarrhea or loose stools were dose-related: decreasing from 10.4% of patients receiving 800 mg per day to 5.7% for those receiving 200 mg per day. Of patients with diarrhea, 10% had C. difficile organism or toxin in the stool.(See WARNINGS.) Nausea 3.3 % Vaginal Fungal Infections 1 % Vulvovaginal Infections 1.3 % Abdominal Pain 1.2 % Headache 1 % Incidence Less Than 1 %: By body system in decreasing order Clinical Studies Adverse events thought possibly or probably related to cefpodoxime proxetil that occurred in less than 1% of patients (N=4696) Body – fungal infections, abdominal distention, malaise, fatigue, asthenia, fever, chest pain, back pain, chills, generalized pain, abnormal microbiological tests, moniliasis, abscess, allergic reaction, facial edema, bacterial infections, parasitic infections, localized edema, localized pain. Cardiovascular – congestive heart failure, migraine, palpitations, vasodilation, hematoma, hypertension, hypotension. Digestive – vomiting, dyspepsia, dry mouth, flatulence, decreased appetite, constipation, oral moniliasis, anorexia, eructation, gastritis, mouth ulcers, gastrointestinal disorders, rectal disorders, tongue disorders, tooth disorders, increased thirst, oral lesions, tenesmus, dry throat, toothache. Hemic and Lymphatic – anemia. Metabolic and Nutritional – dehydration, gout, peripheral edema, weight increase. Musculo-skeletal – myalgia. Nervous – dizziness, insomnia, somnolence, anxiety, shakiness, nervousness, cerebral infarction, change in dreams, impaired concentration, confusion, nightmares, paresthesia, vertigo. Respiratory – asthma, cough, epistaxis, rhinitis, wheezing, bronchitis, dyspnea, pleural effusion, pneumonia, sinusitis. Skin – urticaria, rash, pruritus non-application site, diaphoresis, maculopapular rash, fungal dermatitis, desquamation, dry skin non-application site, hair loss, vesiculobullous rash, sunburn. Special Senses – taste alterations, eye irritation, taste loss, tinnitus. Urogenital – hematuria, urinary tract infections, metrorrhagia, dysuria, urinary frequency, nocturia, penile infection, proteinuria, vaginal pain. Film-coated Tablets (Single dose) In clinical trials using a single dose of cefpodoxime proxetil film-coated tablets, 509 patients were treated with the recommended dosage of cefpodoxime (200 mg). There were no deaths or permanent disabilities thought related to drug toxicity in these studies. Adverse events thought possibly or probably related to cefpodoxime in single-dose clinical trials conducted in the United States were: Incidence Greater Than 1% Nausea 1.4 % Diarrhea 1.2 % Incidence Less Than 1 % Central Nervous System: Dizziness, headache, syncope. Dermatologic: Rash. Genital: Vaginitis. Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain. Psychiatric: Anxiety. Laboratory Changes Significant laboratory changes that have been reported in adult and pediatric patients in clinical trials of cefpodoxime

Safety advice

Conservative summary derived from FDA labeling — defaults to “consult your doctor” unless the label is explicit. Not a substitute for your clinician’s advice.

PregnancyUnsafe
Pregnancy Teratogenic Effects Pregnancy Category B Cefpodoxime proxetil was neither teratogenic nor embryocidal when administered to rats during organogenesis at doses up to 100 mg/kg/day (2 times the human dose based on mg/m2) or to rabbits at doses up to 30 mg/kg/day (1 to 2 times the human dose based on mg/m2). There are, however, no adequate and well-controlled studies of cefpodoxime proxetil use in pregnant women. Because animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response, this drug should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed.
BreastfeedingConsult your doctor
Nursing Mothers Cefpodoxime is excreted in human milk. In a study of 3 lactating women, levels of cefpodoxime in human milk were 0%, 2% and 6% of concomitant serum levels at 4 hours following a 200 mg oral dose of cefpodoxime proxetil. At 6 hours post-dosing, levels were 0%, 9% and 16% of concomitant serum levels. Because of the potential for serious reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.
AlcoholNo information
No specific information in the FDA label.
DrivingNo information
No specific information in the FDA label.
KidneyConsult your doctor
…tract infection 200 mg 100 mg Q 12 hours 7 days Patients with Renal Dysfunction For patients with severe renal impairment (<30 mL/min creatinine clearance), the dosing intervals should be increased to Q 24 hours.…
LiverNo information
No specific information in the FDA label.
Warnings & precautions
WARNINGS BEFORE THERAPY WITH CEFPODOXIME PROXETIL IS INSTITUTED, CAREFUL INQUIRY SHOULD BE MADE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PATIENT HAS HAD PREVIOUS HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS TO CEFPODOXIME, OTHER CEPHALOSPORINS, PENICILLINS, OR OTHER DRUGS. IF CEFPODOXIME IS TO BE ADMINISTERED TO PENICILLIN SENSITIVE PATIENTS, CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED BECAUSE CROSS HYPERSENSITIVITY AMONG BETA-LACTAM ANTIBIOTICS HAS BEEN CLEARLY DOCUMENTED AND MAY OCCUR IN UP TO 10% OF PATIENTS WITH A HISTORY OF PENICILLIN ALLERGY. IF AN ALLERGIC REACTION TO CEFPODOXIME PROXETIL OCCURS, DISCONTINUE THE DRUG. SERIOUS ACUTE HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS MAY REQUIRE TREATMENT WITH EPINEPHRINE AND OTHER EMERGENCY MEASURES, INCLUDING OXYGEN, INTRAVENOUS FLUIDS, INTRAVENOUS ANTIHISTAMINE, AND AIRWAY MANAGEMENT, AS CLINICALLY INDICATED. Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported with use of nearly all antibacterial agents, including cefpodoxime proxetil tablets, and 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. C. difficile produces toxins A and B which 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. A concerted effort to monitor for C. difficile in cefpodoxime-treated patients with diarrhea was undertaken because of an increased incidence of diarrhea associated with C. difficile in early trials in normal subjects. C. difficile organisms or toxin was reported in 10% of the cefpodoxime-treated adult patients with diarrhea; however, no specific diagnosis of pseudomembranous colitis was made in these patients. In post-marketing experience outside the United States, reports of pseudomembranous colitis associated with the use of cefpodoxime proxetil have been received.
Contraindications
CONTRAINDICATIONS Cefpodoxime proxetil is contraindicated in patients with a known allergy to cefpodoxime or to the cephalosporin group of antibiotics.

Pediatric use

Pediatric Use Safety and efficacy in infants less than 2 months of age have not been established.

⚑ About half of pediatric medication use is off-label and not described in FDA labels — absence of pediatric information does not mean a medicine is unused or unsafe in children. Confirm with your clinician.

Interactions (label text — not an interaction checker)
Drug Interactions Antacids Concomitant administration of high doses of antacids (sodium bicarbonate and aluminum hydroxide) or H 2 blockers reduces peak plasma levels by 24% to 42% and the extent of absorption by 27% to 32%, respectively. The rate of absorption is not altered by these concomitant medications. Oral anti-cholinergics (e.g., propantheline) delay peak plasma levels (47% increase in Tmax), but do not affect the extent of absorption (AUC). Probenecid As with other beta-lactam antibiotics, renal excretion of cefpodoxime was inhibited by probenecid and resulted in an approximately 31% increase in AUC and 20% increase in peak cefpodoxime plasma levels. Nephrotoxic drugs Although nephrotoxicity has not been noted when cefpodoxime proxetil was given alone, close monitoring of renal function is advised when cefpodoxime proxetil is administered concomitantly with compounds of known nephrotoxic potential.
Overdose
OVERDOSAGE In acute rodent toxicity studies, a single 5 g/kg oral dose produced no adverse effects. In the event of serious toxic reaction from overdosage, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis may aid in the removal of cefpodoxime from the body, particularly if renal function is compromised. The toxic symptoms following an overdose of beta-lactam antibiotics may include nausea, vomiting, epigastric distress, and diarrhea.
Current FDA labels (DailyMed)

11 marketed products on record (RxNorm)

Reference only — not clinical advice. Verify against current FDA labeling and consult a licensed provider. About half of pediatric drug use is off-label and is not reflected in FDA labels; absence of pediatric information does not mean a medicine is unused or unsafe in children.