Amoxicillin Treatments
The antibiotic amoxicillin has activity against a large number of bacteria, treating infections from the nose to the stomach. As a result, amoxicillin dosing depends on a number of infection and patient factors. While amoxicillin comes in numerous branded and generic formulations, each product has the same characteristics. The most significant side effect patients need to watch for is an allergic reaction.
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Indications and Uses
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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved amoxicillin for treating infections of the ear, nose, genitals, respiratory tract, skin, throat and urinary tract. Amoxicillin also has an indication for treating stomach ulcers caused by Helicobacter pylori. According to a Medline Plus factsheet, amoxicillin also has uses for preventing anthrax and chlamydia infections.
Dosing
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The dose and duration of amoxicillin therapy depends on the infection and the individual being treated. For instance, an adult with a severe throat infection may receive 875 mg of amoxicillin every 12 hours for two weeks, while a newborn with a mild skin infection might receive 25 mg of amoxicillin per kilogram of body weight each day for a few days. A dosing chart that is the same for all amoxicillin products appears in the prescribing information for Amoxil.
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Common Side Effects
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The most common side effects from taking amoxicillin include stomach aches, diarrhea and vomiting. Patients taking high doses or extended courses of the antibiotic can also develop secondary infections.
Rare Side Effects
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Rarely, people taking amoxicillin have had their teeth turn brown or black. Others have experienced agitation, insomnia, agitation and behavioral changes. These side effects dissipated when patients stopped taking amoxicillin.
Warnings
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As with other antibiotics, some people are allergic to amoxicillin. Anyone who develops a rash, has seizures or becomes excessively fatigued while taking amoxicillin needs to consult a physician about discontinuing the medication. Also, watery or bloody diarrhea, a possible sign of colitis, indicates that a patient should stop using amoxicillin and consult a physician.
Contraindication
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No one who has an allergy to penicillin can use amoxicillin.
Products
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The FDA has approved several brand-name amoxicillin products for sale in the United States. These products are Amoxil from GlaxoSmithKline, Dispermox from Ranbaxy, Larotid from GlaxoSmithKline, Moxatag from Middlebrook Pharmaceuticals and Trimox from Apothecon. Further, American Antibiotics, Aurobindo, Clonmel Healthcare, Dava Pharmaceuticals, Hakima, Morton Grove, Sandoz and Teva produce generic amoxicillin.
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References
Resources
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