What is Imipenem?

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The antibiotic Imipenem is used in the treatment of susceptible infections or for the prophylaxis of postoperative infections of mild to moderate severity. Patients need to use the drug as prescribed by the doctor to ensure safety and effectiveness.

1. What is Imipenem?

Imipenem is an antibiotic of the Beta - Lactam group and has a very broad antibacterial spectrum. The drug has a rapid bactericidal mechanism by interacting on the outer membrane of bacteria through Penicillin-binding proteins (PBP) on it. This will inhibit the process of bacteria synthesizing the cell wall to become resistant to antibiotics like other Beta-Lactam-resistant bacteria.
Depending on the disease to be treated and the patient's condition, the doctor will prescribe intramuscular or intravenous injection every 6-8 hours.

2. Indications of the antibiotic Imipenem

This is not the first-line antibiotic to treat bacterial infections, but only for severe cases.
Imipenem is particularly effective against infections in the abdomen, gynecology, urinary tract, lower respiratory tract, skin, bones, joints and soft tissues. In particular, the drug is effective in the treatment of hospital-acquired infections and caused by bacteria of different groups that are not used by narrower-spectrum or contraindicated drugs.

3. Contraindications of Imipenem

Do not use in patients with a history of hypersensitivity to Imipenem - Cilastatin or other ingredients.
Because this drug is diluted with Lidocaine hydrochloride solution, it is contraindicated for patients allergic to Amid group anesthetics, patients with severe shock or heart block.
Caution should be taken when using Imipenem in the following cases:
Patients with central nervous system disorders combined with impaired renal function are likely to experience unwanted effects such as confusion, tremors muscle or even convulsions after intravenous administration of Imipenem - cilastatin; Prolonged use of this antibiotic may lead to overgrowth of non-susceptible microorganisms; Elderly people with impaired renal function need to be used in lower doses; Children under 12 years of age have not established the safety and effectiveness of the drug; Imipenem is a drug that has the ability to cross the placental barrier, so it should only be used in pregnant women when it is determined that the benefits outweigh the possible risks to the mother; This antibiotic is likely to be excreted in breast milk, so caution should be exercised in nursing women; Some common side effects when using the drug such as: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, phlebitis. Other rare ones such as seizures, hypotension, palpitations, palpitations, erythema, neutropenia, anemia, eosinophilia,... If Imipenem is alone, then resistance The drug often occurs when treating infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa but there is no cross-resistance with other antibiotics such as Aminoglycosides, Cephalosporins. Therefore, it is possible to prevent drug resistance by using it in combination with Aminoglycoside antibiotics in the treatment of diseases caused by P. aeruginosa.

4. Dosage and how to use Imipenem

4.1. Dosage and administration of Imipenem in adults
Intravenous route:
For mild to moderate infections: Infusion 250 - 500 mg, every 6 - 8 hours; For severe infections caused by organisms only moderately susceptible: 1g infusion, repeated every 6-8 hours. Up to 4g or 50 mg/kg per day according to body weight. Intramuscular:
Intramuscular is indicated for mild to moderate infections of the abdomen or more severe respiratory tract, gynecological and skin at a dose of 500 - 750 mg, every 12 hours. Do not take more than 1500mg per day and require deep injection and large muscle mass. 4.2. Dosage and Administration of Imipenem in Children under 12 Years of age
Efficacy and safety of Imipenem have not been established in children, but the intravenous form is effective at doses of 12-25 mg/kg (imipenem). , every 6 hours. It is necessary to mix the drug in the vial with 100ml of solution for infusion, not for direct injection, and the final concentration should not exceed 5mg/ml.
The above information is for reference only. The use of the drug should be strictly according to the instructions and advice of the doctor. If you want to use it yourself at home, you need to carefully read the instructions and consult a medical professional to limit the risks. To be most effective when used, antibiotics need to have stable concentrations in the body. Therefore, you should continue to use the medicine until the full time needed to be treated, even though the symptoms may have disappeared. Early discontinuation of the drug may cause reinfection or lead to antibiotic resistance.

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