Penicillins are a group of antibacterial drugs that attack a wide range of bacteria. They were the first drugs of this type that doctors used. The discovery and manufacture of penicillins have changed the face of medicine, as these drugs have saved millions of lives. Penicillium fungi are the source of penicillin, which people can take orally or via injection.
Drugs in the penicillin class work by indirectly bursting bacterial cell walls. They do this by acting directly on peptidoglycans, which play an essential structural role in bacterial cells. Peptidoglycans create a mesh-like structure around the plasma membrane of bacterial cells, which increases the strength of the cell walls and prevents external fluids and particles from entering the cell. When a bacterium multiplies, small holes open up in its cell walls as the cells divide.
Newly-produced peptidoglycans then fill these holes to reconstruct the walls. Penicillins block the protein struts that link the peptidoglycans together. This prevents the bacterium from closing the holes in its cell walls. As the water concentration of the surrounding fluid is higher than that inside the bacterium, water rushes through the holes into the cell and the bacterium bursts.
People generally attribute the discovery of penicillins to Alexander Fleming. The story goes that he returned to his laboratory one day in September to find a Petri dish containing Staphylococcus bacteria with its lid no longer in place. The dish had become contaminated with a blue-green mold called Penicillium notatum. Fleming noted that there was a clear ring surrounding the mold where the bacteria had been unable to grow.
Penicillin V potassium is also sometimes used to prevent a heart valve infection in certain patients who have a heart condition and require a dental or upper respiratory tract nose, mouth, throat, voice box procedure.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Penicillin V potassium may cause other side effects.
Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children.
Store the tablets at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Keep the oral solution in the refrigerator, tightly closed, and dispose of any unused medication after 14 days.
Do not freeze it. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet.
Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Penicillin is mainly excreted through the kidneys, and diminished kidney function can cause the drug to accumulate to toxic levels.
The ensuing overdose of penicillin can lead to symptoms of agitation, confusion, stupor, abnormal twitches, and, in rare cases, coma. The recommended dosage of penicillin G and penicillin V can vary depending on the disease and the age of the person being treated. The doses are measured in several different ways depending on the formulation. In adults, the drug is usually measured in units or milligrams mg. If you have kidney disease, you may need a lower penicillin dose to prevent drug toxicity.
On the other hand, if you are treated with hemodialysis , you may need a higher dose because hemodialysis can speed the clearance of penicillin from the blood. Penicillin G. Penicillin G is available as either a premixed solution or a powder that is reconstituted with sterile water for injection. The premixed solution can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer, while the powder formulation can be kept safely at room temperature.
Penicillin G injections are not self-administered. Penicillin V. Penicillin V is available as an oral tablet or a cherry-flavored powder mixed with water. Both can be safely stored at room temperature. Once the powder is reconstituted, it should be stored in the refrigerator and discarded after 14 days. Penicillin V should be taken on an empty stomach to ensure maximum absorption.
It should be taken at least one hour before a meal or at least two hours after a meal. If you miss a dose of penicillin V, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of your next dose, skip the dose and continue as normal. Never double up on doses. Always take penicillin as directed and to completion.
Do not stop because you feel well. You need to take the entire course so that all bacteria are eradicated. Small amounts of remaining bacteria can proliferate once treatment is stopped. Most penicillin side effects are mild and transient and will resolve on their own without treatment. But sometimes side effects can be severe—and even life-threatening—and require emergency care. Fever and angioedema tissue swelling can also occur but are less common. One of the most serious concerns associated with the use of penicillin is the risk of a potentially life-threatening, whole-body allergy known as anaphylaxis.
True penicillin-induced anaphylaxis affects around one to five of every , people. Anaphylaxis can reap serious harm if it is left untreated. It can lead to shock, coma, respiratory or cardiac failure, and even death.
Seek emergency care if you experience some or all of the symptoms of anaphylaxis after receiving a dose of penicillin:. On rare occasions, penicillins can cause acute interstitial nephritis , an inflammatory kidney condition most often caused by an abnormal immune reaction to medications.
Symptoms include nausea, rash, fever, drowsiness, diminished urine output, fluid retention, and vomiting. Most cases are mild, but some can turn serious and cause an acute kidney injury. Penicillins, like all antibiotics, are associated with an increased risk of Clostridium difficile diarrhea. This is caused when bacteria that are normally present in the gut are obliterated by antibiotics, allowing C.
Most cases are mild and readily treatable, but C. Penicillins are generally considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Evidence in humans is lacking, but animal studies have shown no risk of fetal harm. If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding, speak with your healthcare provider to fully understand the benefits and risks of using penicillin.
A number of drugs can also interact with penicillin, oftentimes by competing for clearance in the kidneys. This can increase penicillin concentrations in the blood as well as the risk of side effects and drug toxicity.
Other medications can speed the clearance of penicillin from the body and reduce the drug's effectiveness. Among the drugs that are likely to interact with penicillin are:.
It's very important that you keep taking phenoxymethylpenicillin until your course is finished. Do this even if you feel better. It'll help stop the infection coming back. Tell your doctor if you don't start feeling better after taking phenoxymethylpenicillin for 3 days. If you're taking phenoxymethylpenicillin to prevent infection for example, if you have sickle cell disease or have had chorea, rheumatic fever or your spleen removed , you may have to take it for the rest of your life.
Phenoxymethylpenicillin is generally safe when prescribed long term to prevent infections. There are no additional known side effects.
But if you develop diarrhoea that lasts for more than a couple of days, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice. Phenoxymethylpenicillin and other penicillins, like amoxicillin , are antibiotics that are widely used to treat a variety of infections, including skin infections, chest infections and urinary tract infections UTIs. Not all antibiotics are suitable for every infection.
Your doctor will choose an antibiotic that's suitable for the type of infection you have. But if phenoxymethylpenicillin makes you have severe diarrhoea or vomiting - and you continue to vomit or pass 6 to 8 watery stools over 24 hours - your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. If this happens, follow the instructions in the leaflet that comes with your contraceptive pills. Read more about what to do if you're on the pill and you're being sick or have diarrhoea.
Some people get a fungal infection called thrush after taking a course of antibiotics like phenoxymethylpenicillin. Antibiotics kill the normal harmless bacteria that help to defend against thrush. Symptoms include redness and itching in the mouth. Women may get vaginal itching. There's no firm evidence to suggest that taking phenoxymethylpenicillin will reduce fertility in either men or women.
But for safety, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant. Yes, you can. Phenoxymethylpenicillin shouldn't affect you being able to drive or cycle. Just remember to take phenoxymethylpenicillin on an empty stomach - either 30 minutes before a meal or at least 2 hours after you have eaten. Page last reviewed: 6 December Next review due: 6 December Phenoxymethylpenicillin On this page About phenoxymethylpenicillin Key facts Who can and can't take it How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About phenoxymethylpenicillin Phenoxymethylpenicillin is a type of penicillin. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? You'll usually take phenoxymethylpenicillin 4 times a day to treat an infection.
In most cases you'll start to feel better in a few days. The most common side effects of phenoxymethylpenicillin are feeling sick and diarrhoea.
Some people may have an allergic reaction to antibiotics , especially phenoxymethylpenicillin and other penicillins. You can drink alcohol while taking it. Phenoxymethylpenicillin is also known as penicillin V.
0コメント