What is Imipenem for?

Imipenem is an antibiotic that is used to reduce the symptoms of various inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cleome arthritis, various bacterial infections and psoriasis. In the following, we will review the pharmaceutical forms, uses, how to use, and precautions for imipenem.

Pharmaceutical forms of imipenem

According to the needs of patients and doctors, pharmaceutical companies produce drugs in various pharmaceutical forms and standards. In this regard, many chemical and herbal medicines are produced in different forms, such as regular tablets, chewable tablets, injection solutions, capsules, syrups, etc. Imipenem drug is available in the market in the form of powder for injection of 250 mg/250 mg and 500 mg/500 mg. The doctor will prescribe different forms of this product for you according to the type of disease.

Uses of imipenem

Imipenem is used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections. This drug is known as a carbapenem antibiotic that works by stopping the growth of bacteria. Some of the most important uses of this product include lower respiratory tract, skin structure and female infections, intra-abdominal infections, pseudomonas infection, urinary tract infections, etc.

Pharmacological effects and mechanism of action of imipenem drug

Imipenem inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by binding to penicillin-binding proteins. Cilastatin prevents the renal metabolism of imipenem. The distribution of this drug is rapidly and widely distributed in most tissues and fluids including sputum, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid, interstitial fluid, bile, amniotic fluid, genital organs and bone. The highest concentration passes in pleural fluid, interstitial fluid, peritoneal fluid and genital organs. This product is metabolized by dehydropeptidase 1 in the kidney and excreted in the urine (~70% as unchanged drug).

Dosage of imipenem

This drug is usually prescribed every 6 to 8 hours by injection into a muscle or vein. Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment. If you are taking imipenem at home, ask your healthcare professional for all instructions for preparation and use. Visually inspect the medication for particulate matter or discoloration before use. It is also best to Use the medicine according to the doctor’s prescription to experience the least side effects along with the best treatment.

Dosage of imipenem in adults

1. For the treatment of lower respiratory tract, skin structure and mild to moderate gynecological infections, 500-750 mg every 12 hours is recommended.
2. For mild to moderate intra-abdominal infections, 250-500 mg every 6 hours is prescribed by the doctor. For more severe infection, 500 mg every 6 hours or 1 g every 8 hours for 4-7 days is prescribed, provided the infection is under control.
3. Pseudomonas infection 500 mg every 6 hours, depending on the sensitivity of the organism, higher doses may be prescribed.
4. Uncomplicated urinary tract infections are prescribed 250 mg per 6 hours and for complicated 500 mg per 6 hours.
5. These doses should be used in patients with CrCl ≥ 90 mL/min. For patients with creatinine clearance less than 90 ml/min, the dose should be reduced.
6. The doses given are for patients weighing more than 70 kg. Use lower doses in patients weighing less than 70 kg.

Dosage of imipenem for children

1. Imipenem for children less than 1 week old 25 mg/kg IV every 12 hours for non-CNS infections.
2. For children 1 to 4 weeks of age, 25 mg/kg every 8 hours is prescribed for non-CNS infections.
3. Children 4 weeks to 3 months: 25 mg/kg every 6 hours for non-CNS infections.
4. For children older than 3 months, 15-25 mg/kg every 6 hours is recommended for non-CNS infections. It should be noted, do not exceed 2 g/day for highly sensitive organisms or 4 g/day for moderately sensitive organisms.
5. People over 12 years old: 10-15 mg per kilogram of body weight every 6 hours for mild to moderate infections.

Time to take Imipenem

The manufacturer of imipenem has given you sufficient information on how to use it on the product packaging. In case of general use, you can take advantage of the manufacturer’s offer for various diseases. Learn how to store and dispose of medical supplies and use this antibiotic at equal times to get the best effect. Continue taking this medicine until the end of the full course of prescribed treatment, even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Early discontinuation of the drug may lead to the return of the infection. If your condition does not improve or worsens, consult your doctor.

Precautions

Avoid using this medicine if you are allergic to imipenem or other carbapenems (such as meropenem), penicillins or cephalosporins. This product may contain inactive ingredients that can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Patients with medical records of brain disorders (such as seizures, head injuries, tumors), kidney disease, liver disease, stomach or intestinal diseases, etc. should use with caution. During pregnancy, this drug should be used only if clearly needed. Because the risk of side effects for the fetus and mother is very high.

1. Use with caution if you have a history of allergy to penicillins.
2. Use with caution in CNS disorders (such as a history of seizures). Dose adjustment is necessary in renal failure to avoid the risk of seizures, carbapenem use has been associated with seizures.
3. Long-term use increases the risk of superinfection.
4. Use with caution in renal failure. Consider dose adjustment in moderate to severe renal impairment.
5. Taking carbapenems may decrease serum levels of divalproex sodium or valproic acid.
6. Combination with aminoglycosides may neutralize resistant P aeruginosa.
7. It is not used for children with CNS problems.
8. Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) has been reported and may range in severity from mild diarrhea to fatal colitis. Treatment with antibacterial agents alters the normal flora of the colon, leading to overgrowth of difficile.

Contraindications for imipenem

Patients, before taking imipenem or any other drug, carefully read the drug information of the product, such as precautions, how to use, and contraindications. If any of the contraindications or precautions are listed in your medical records, refuse to take the drug. Before getting any immunizations or vaccinations, tell your healthcare professional that you are using this medicine. If any dangerous side effects occur, stop taking the medicine and see a doctor.

1. Allergy to this drug or penicillin, cephalosporins and other beta-lactams
2. Hypersensitivity
3. Renal impairment (only with doctor’s prescription)
4. Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Side effects of imipenem

Some of the side effects of imipenem are swelling, redness, soreness or pain at the injection site and rarely stomach upset, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist right away. Most people who use this drug do not experience serious side effects. Some serious side effects of this product include sore throat and fever that does not go away, dark urine, easy bruising or bleeding, hearing changes (such as hearing loss, ringing in the ears), mental and behavioral changes (such as confusion, hallucinations), pins and needles. Tingling of the hands, yellowing of the eyes or skin, muscle contractions, etc.

1. Dizziness or confusion
2. phlebitis
3. Eosinophilia
4. Miscellaneous skin effects
5. Potentially false positive Coombs test
6. Miscellaneous blood effects
7. Transient increase in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) or serum creatinine
8. convulsions
9. Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting
10. Abnormal urine test
11. Stimulation
12. anaphylaxis
13. Anemia

Imipenem drug interactions

Patients, before visiting the doctor, prepare a list of chemical and herbal medicines you use and show them to him. Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk of serious side effects. Do not start, stop, or change any medication without your doctor’s approval. Ganciclovir drugs, valproic acid and related drugs (such as divalproex sodium, sodium valproate) etc. will cause drug interactions with imipenem. Also, some laboratory tests (such as urine glucose) cause false test results.

Use of imipenem during pregnancy and breastfeeding

Available data from the small number of post-marketing cases in pregnancy are insufficient to identify drug-related risks for birth defects, miscarriage, adverse maternal or fetal outcomes. Developmental toxicity studies with imipenem and sialastatin sodium (alone or in combination) administered to mice, rats, rabbits, and monkeys at doses of 0.4 to 2.9 times the recommended human dose (RHD) (based on body surface area). It did not show any particular danger. Also, fetal development studies with imipenem and cilastatin administered to cynomolgus monkeys at doses similar to the RHD (based on body surface area) showed increased fetal loss.

The effect of imipenem on breastfeeding

There is insufficient information on the presence of imipenem in human milk and no data on its effects on the nursing infant or milk production. The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for treatment and any possible adverse effects on the nursing infant from the mother’s treatment or underlying disease.

Conditions of storage of Imipenem medicine

Consult product instructions and your pharmacist for storage details. Keep all chemical and herbal medicines out of the reach of children and animals. Dispose of this product properly when it has expired or is no longer needed. Avoid pouring all kinds of medicines into the toilet well, street and sewer.

The last word about the drug Imipenem

As we said in this article from the online pharmacy magazine, according to the results of the studies conducted so far and the continuation of future research, it seems that imipenem can be an important and effective option in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and to reduce the need Traditional anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids help.

With the ability to reduce the long-term symptoms of diseases, this drug helps to improve the quality of life of patients and reduce the treatment costs related to inflammatory and infectious diseases. However, this medicine should be used with a doctor’s prescription to see the best treatment and the least side effects in patients.

Site source: Medscape