Ceftaroline

Ceftaroline is a prescription medication used to treat bacterial infections of the lung and skin. Ceftaroline belongs to a group of drugs called cephalosporin antibiotics, which work to stop the growth of bacteria in the body.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of ceftaroline include diarrhea, rash, and nausea.

Ceftaroline is a prescription medication used to treat bacterial infections of the lung and skin.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Ceftaroline may be found in some form under the following brand names:

• Teflaro

Common side effects of ceftaroline include diarrhea, rash, and nausea.

This is not a complete list of ceftaroline side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with ceftaroline. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• aminoglycosides such as amikacin (Amikin), gentamicin (Garamycin), and tobramycin (Nebcin)
• probenecid (Probalan, Benemid)
• methotrexate (Trexall, Rheumatrex)
• birth control pills

This is not a complete list of ceftaroline drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with ceftaroline including:

• hypersensitivity (severe allergic reaction). Signs of a hypersensitivity reaction, which include the following:
  • chest pain
  • swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, arms, or legs
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • fainting
  • rash
• diarrhea. Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics, and it usually ends when the antibacterial is discontinued. Sometimes after starting treatment with antibiotics, patients can develop watery and bloody stools (with or without stomach cramps and fever) even as late as 2 or more months after having taken their last dose of the antibacterial. If diarrhea is severe or lasts more than 2 or 3 days, contact your doctor, as this may be a sign of an infection of the bowels.
• anemia. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of anemia:
  • shortness of breath
  • dizziness
  • headache
  • coldness in the hands and feet
  • pale skin
  • chest pain

Do not take ceftaroline if you:

• are allergic to ceftaroline or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to similar antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins)

Medications can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of ceftaroline, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving this medication.

Before taking ceftaroline, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• are allergic to ceftaroline or to any of its ingredients
• are allergic to similar antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins)
• have any other type of allergy
• have kidney problems
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Ceftaroline falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with ceftaroline. But in animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

It is not known if ceftaroline crosses into human milk. Because many medications can cross into human milk and because of the possibility for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants with use of this medication, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or stop the use of this medication. Your doctor and you will decide if the benefits outweigh the risk of using ceftaroline.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) by a healthcare professional.

The ceftaroline dose your doctor recommends will be based on:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your kidney function

The recommended dose for ceftaroline in adults is 600 mg twice a day.

If ceftaroline is administered by a healthcare provider in a medical setting, it is unlikely that an overdose will occur. However, if overdose is suspected, seek emergency medical attention.