ERTAPENEM

Please see precautions section.

You should check with your doctor immediately if any of these side effects occur when taking ertapenem:

• Bleeding
• blistering
• burning
• coldness
• diarrhea
• discoloration of skin
• feeling of pressure
• hives
• infection
• inflammation
• itching skin
• lumps
• numbness
• pain
• redness of skin
• scarring
• skin rash
• soreness
• stinging
• swelling
• tenderness
• tingling
• ulceration
• unusually warm skin

Some side effect that does not require medical attention:

• Agitation
• chest pain
• confusion about identity, place, and time
• drowsiness
• headache
• mental depression

Precautions

Kidney function declines as you grow older. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, elderly people may be at greater risk for side effects while using this drug.

• Allergy: Before using ertapenem, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to penicillins or cephalosporins; or if you have any other allergies. Before receiving this medication by injection into a muscle, also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to any amide-type local anesthetics (e.g., lidocaine).
• Medical History: Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you had: brain disorders (e.g., seizures, head injury, tumor), kidney disease, stomach/intestinal diseases (e.g., colitis).
• Interaction with valproic acid: Case reports in the literature have shown that co-administration of carbapenems, including ertapenem, to patients receiving valproic acid or divalproex sodium results in a reduction in valproic acid concentrations.
• Development of drug-resistant bacteria: As with other antibiotics, prolonged use of ertapenem may result in overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms. Repeated evaluation of the patient’s condition is essential.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant before using this medication.

This medication passes into breast milk. Though there have been no reports of harm to nursing infants, consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Pregnancy Category Risk: B (No risk in pregnant women)

Interactions

• Some products that may interact with this drug include: live bacterial vaccines, other antibiotics, divalproate/valproic acid.
• Although most antibiotics probably do not affect hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring, some antibiotics may decrease their effectiveness. This could cause pregnancy. Examples include rifamycins such as rifampin or rifabutin. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should use additional reliable birth control methods while using this antibiotic.

Overdose

If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Notes

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., complete blood count, kidney/liver function tests) may be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

Missed Dose

For the best possible benefit, it is important to receive each scheduled dose of this medication as directed. If you miss a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately to establish a new dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Consult the package instructions or your pharmacist for other storage details. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

Brands

Available Brands:

Invanz [ Merck Sharp & Dohme ]