Omnicef vs. Augmentin

• Are Augmentinand Omnicef the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Omnicef?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Augmentin?
• What is Omnicef?
• What is Augmentin?
• What Drugs Interact with Omnicef?
• What Drugs Interact with Augmentin?
• How Should Omnicef Be Taken?
• How Should AugmentinBe Taken?

Omnicef (cefdinir) and Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate) are antibiotics used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria.

Omnicef and Augmentin are different types of antibiotics. Omnicef is a cephalosporin antibiotic and Augmentin is a combination of a penicillin-type antibiotic and a beta-lactamase inhibitor.

The brand name Omnicef is discontinued in the U.S. Generic versions of cefdinir are available.

Common side effects of Omnicef include:

• diarrhea,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• indigestion,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• diaper rash in an infant taking liquid cefdinir,
• itching,
• skin rash, or
• vaginal itching or
• discharge.

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Omnicef including watery or bloody diarrhea, chest pain, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, unusual bleeding, seizures (convulsions), pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; increased thirst, loss of appetite, swelling, weight gain, feeling short of breath, or urinating less than usual or not at all.

Common side effects of Augmentin include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Diarrhea
• Gas
• Stomach pain
• Skin rash or itching
• White patches in your mouth or throat
• Vaginal yeast infection (itching or discharge)

Rare and severe side effects of Augmentin can include:

• watery or bloody diarrhea;
• pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness;
• easy bruising or bleeding;
• skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;
• agitation, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior, seizures (convulsions);
• nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
• severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.  

Omnicef (cefdinir) is a cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria. The brand name Omnicef is discontinued in the U.S. Omnicef is available in generic form.

Augmentin (amoxicillin/clavulanate) is a combination antibiotic used to treat bacterial infections including sinusitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, and infections of the skin.

It is not known if Augmentin is safe and effective in children.

Omnicef may interact with blood thinners, antibiotics, antidepressants, anti-malaria medications, medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, migraine headache medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, or narcotics.

Augmentin may interact with probenecid.

Augmentin may also interact with allopurinol, blood thinners, or other antibiotics.

The recommended dose of Omnicef is 150 mg every 13 weeks administered by deep intramuscular (IM) injection in the gluteal or deltoid muscle. Omnicef should not be used as a long-term birth control method (longer than 2 years).

For Adults:

• The usual adult dose is one 500-mg tablet of Augmentin every 12 hours or one 250-mg tablet of Augmentin every 8 hours. For more severe infections and infections of the respiratory tract, the dose should be one 875-mg tablet of Augmentin every 12 hours or one 500-mg tablet of Augmentin every 8 hours. Adults who have difficulty swallowing may be given the 125 mg/5 mL or 250 mg/5 mL suspension in place of the 500-mg tablet. The 200 mg/5 mL suspension or the 400 mg/5 mL suspension may be used in place of the 875-mg tablet.
• Two 250-mg tablets of Augmentin should not be substituted for one 500-mg tablet of Augmentin. Since both the 250-mg and 500-mg tablets of Augmentin contain the same amount of clavulanic acid (125 mg, as the potassium salt), two 250-mg tablets are not equivalent to one 500-mg tablet of Augmentin.
• The 250-mg tablet of Augmentin and the 250-mg chewable tablet should not be substituted for each other, as they are not interchangeable. The 250-mg tablet of Augmentin and the 250-mg chewable tablet do not contain the same amount of clavulanic acid (as the potassium salt). The 250-mg tablet of Augmentin contains 125 mg of clavulanic acid, whereas the 250-mg chewable tablet contains 62.5 mg of clavulanic acid.

For Pediatric Patients

Based on the amoxicillin component, Augmentin should be dosed as follows:

Neonates And Infants Aged under 12 Weeks (under 3 Months)

• The recommended dose of Augmentin is 30 mg/kg/day divided every 12 hours, based on the amoxicillin component. Experience with the 200 mg/5 mL formulation in this age group is limited, and thus, use of the 125 mg/5 mL oral suspension is recommended.

Patients Aged 12 Weeks (3 Months) And Older

• The every 12 hour regimen is recommended as it is associated with significantly less diarrhea. However, the every 12 hour suspension (200 mg/5 mL and 400 mg/5 mL) and chewable tablets (200 mg and 400 mg) contain aspartame and should not be used by phenylketonurics.