Cefotetan

What Is Cefotetan?

Cefotetan (cefotetan disodium injection) is a cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat susceptible bacterial infections such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), lower respiratory tract infections, skin and skin structure infections, gynecologic infections, intra-abdominal infections, and bone and joint infections. Cefotetan is available in generic form.

What Are Side Effects of Cefotetan?

Common side effects of Cefotetan include:

• diarrhea,
• hypersensitivity reactions
  • rash,
  • itching,
  • hives
• injection site reactions
• vein inflammation and
• discomfort

Dosage for Cefotetan

The usual adult dosage of Cefotan is 1 or 2 grams administered intravenously every 12 hours for 5 to 10 days.

What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Cefotetan?

Cefotetan may interact with aminoglycosides. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

Cefotetan During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Cefotetan; it is unknown how it would affect a fetus. Cefotetan passes into breast milk in very low concentrations. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Additional Information

Our Cefotetan (cefotetan disodium injection), Powder, for Solution Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.

 

Cefotetan Consumer Information

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).

Call your doctor at once if you have:

• severe stomach pain, diarrhea that is watery or bloody (even if it occurs months after your last dose);
• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
• pale skin, easy bruising, unusual bleeding;
• a seizure;
• fever, weakness, confusion;
• dark colored urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• kidney problems--little or no urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath.

Common side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting;
• diarrhea; or
• vaginal itching or discharge.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Cefotetan (Cefotetan for Injection)

 

Cefotetan Professional Information

SIDE EFFECTS

In clinical studies, the following adverse effects were considered related to cefotetan therapy. Those appearing in italics have been reported during postmarketing experience.

Gastrointestinal: symptoms occurred in 1.5% of patients, the most frequent were diarrhea (1 in 80) and nausea (1 in 700); pseudomembranous colitis. Onset of pseudomembranous colitis symptoms may occur during or after antibiotic treatment or surgical prophylaxis (see WARNINGS).

Hematologic: laboratory abnormalities occurred in 1.4% of patients and included eosinophilia (1 in 200), positive direct Coombs test (1 in 250), and thrombocytosis (1 in 300); agranulocytosis, hemolytic anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and prolonged prothrombin time with or without bleeding.

Hepatic: enzyme elevations occurred in 1.2% of patients and included a rise in ALT (SGPT) (1 in 150), AST (SGOT) (1 in 300), alkaline phosphatase (1 in 700), and LDH (1 in 700).

Hypersensitivity: reactions were reported in 1.2% of patients and included rash (1 in 150) and itching (1 in 700); anaphylactic reactions and urticaria.

Local: effects were reported in less than 1% of patients and included phlebitis at the site of injection (1 in 300), and discomfort (1 in 500).

Renal: Elevations in BUN and serum creatinine have been reported.

Urogenital: Nephrotoxicity has rarely been reported.

Miscellaneous : Fever

In addition to the adverse reactions listed above which have been observed in patients treated with cefotetan, the following adverse reactions and altered laboratory tests have been reported for cephalosporin-class antibiotics: pruritus, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, vomiting, abdominal pain, colitis, superinfection, vaginitis including vaginal candidiasis, renal dysfunction, toxic nephropathy, hepatic dysfunction including cholestasis, aplastic anemia, hemorrhage, elevated bilirubin, pancytopenia, and neutropenia.

Several cephalosporins have been implicated in triggering seizures, particularly in patients with renal impairment, when the dosage was not reduced (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION and OVERDOSAGE). If seizures associated with drug therapy occur, the drug should be discontinued.

Anticonvulsant therapy can be given if clinically indicated.

Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Cefotetan (Cefotetan for Injection)