Drug: cefuroxime

Class: Cephalosporin

Indications: acute bacterial sinusitis, respiratory tract infections caused by H influenza, otitis media, gonococcal infections (as alternative to amoxycillin)

Dose: 250 - 500mg bd

Side effects

Common: diarrhoea, nausea, rash, electrolyte disturbances

Infrequent: vomitting, headache, dizziness, drug fever, eosinophilia, superinfection, oral and vaginal candidiasis

Drug name: Cefaclor

Class: cephalosporin

Dose: 250-500mg q8h or 375mg -750mg q12h controlled release.  Max 4g in 24hrs

Indication: acute bacterial sinusitis, otitis media and respiratory tract infections by H influenza

Side effects:

Common: nausea, diarrhoea, electrolyte disturbances, rash

Infrequent: vomitting, serum sickness-like syndrome, headache, dizziness, superinfection, oral and vaginal candidiasis.

Drug: cephalexin

Class: cephalosporin

Indications: staph and strep infections in people with penicillin allergy, UTI, epidymo-orchitis infections from urinary tract.

Dose: 250 - 500mg q6-12hrs (no more than 500mg recommended at one time).  max 4g

Side effects

Common: nausea, diarrhoea, rash, electrolyte disturbances

Infrequent: headache, dizziness, drug fever, eosinophilia, vomitting, super infection, oral and vaginal candidiasis.

Drug: clindamycin

Class: lincosamide

Indications: anaerobic infections, bacterial vaginosis, alternative to penicillin & cephalosporins in severe allergy, acne, maleria (with quinine)

Dose: 150 - 450mg q6-8 hours

Side effects

Common: diarrhoea, nausea, vomitting, contact dermatitis, rash, itch, abdominal pain

Counselling: take with a glass water, tell dr if develop any diarrhoea, check before taking antidiarrhoeals.

Drug: roxithromycin

Class: macrolide

Indications: upper & lower respiratory tract infections, CAP, recurrent tonsilitis, skin infections, H Pylori eradication, chlamydial infections

Dose: 150 mg bd or 300mg d.  max 300mg daily.

Side effects

Common: nausea, vomitting, diarrhoea, abdominal cramps and pain, headache, cough, dyspnoea, candidal infections.

Infrequent: rash, fixed drug eruptions

Counselling 

Best absorbed if taken on an empty stomach.  If it upsets your stomach too much, you can take it with food

Drug: erythromycin

Class: macrolide

Indications: alternative to penicillins in allergy, upper and lower respiratory tract infection, chlamydial infections,

Dose: 250 - 500mg tds or qid.  Max 4g daily

Side effects

Common: nausea, vomitting, diarrhoea, headache, dyspnoea, cough, candidial infections, infantile pyloric stenosis

Infrequent: rash, fixed drug eruptions

Drug: Clarithromycin

Class: Macrolide

Indications: H pylori eradication, lower respiratory tract infections, chlamydial infections, alternative to penicillins and cephalosporins in allergy

Dose: 250 - 500mg bd

Side effects

Common: nausea, vomitting, diarrhoea, headache, dyspnoea, cough, abdominal cramps and pain, candidal infections

Infrequent: rash, fixed drug eruptions

Zithromax

Drug: azithromycin

Class: macrolide

Indications: alternative to penicillin/cephalosporins in allergy, chlamydial infections, pertussis, CAP, MAC, typhoid, strep pharyngitis/tonsilitis, traveler's diarrhoea

Dose: 500mg stat, then 500mg d for 2 days or 250mg d for 4 days. 

Side effects

Common: nausea, vomitting, diarrhoea, dyspnoea, cough, headache, abdominal cramps and pain, candidal infections

Infrequent: rash, fixed drug eruptions

Rare: prolonged QT interval, torsades de pointes

Drug: tinidazole

Class: nitromidazole

Indications: protozoal infections, anaerobic infections (gram + and -) amoebiasis, surgical prophylaxis

Dose: 2g as single dose

Side effects

Common: nausea, anorexia, abdominal pain, vomitting, diarrhoea, metallic taste, CNS effects (eg dizziness and headache)

Infrequent: furry tongue, glossitis, stomatitis, paraesthesia,

Generic: amoxycillin

Class: penicillin

Dose: 250 - 500mg tds

Indication: acute bacterial otitis media, sinusitis, exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, CAP, gonoccocal infection, H pylori infections

Contraindications:

allergy 

SIDE EFFECTS

Common: nausea, diarrhoea, rash, urticaria, allergy

Infrequent: fever, vomiting, erythema, exfoliative dermatitis, angiodema

Generic: Dicloxacillin

Class: Penicillin

Dose: 250- 500mg qid.  max 4g daily

Indication: staphylococcal skin infections. pneumonitis.  osteomyelitis

SIDE EFFECTS

Common: diarrhoea, nausea, rash, urticaria,

Infrequent: fever, vomitting, erythema, exfoliative dermatitis, angiodema

Generic: Flucloxacillin

Class: penicillin

Dose: 250 - 500mg qid.  max 4g

Indication: staph skin infections, pneumonia, osteomyelitis, septicaemia

SIDE EFFECTS

Common: nausea, diarrhoea, rash, urticaria

Infrequent: vomitting, exfoliative dermatitis, fever, erythema, angiodema

Abbocillin

Generic: penicillin V

Class: penicillin

Dose: 250 - 500mg tds or qid.  max 3g

Indication: S pyogenes tonsilitis, pharyngitis, skin infections, gingivitis (with metronidazole)

SIDE EFFECTS

Common: nausea, diarrhoea, rash urticaria

Infrequent: fever, erythema, vomitting, exfoliative dermatitis, angiodema,

Generic: ciprofloxacin

Class: quinolone

Dose: 250 - 500mg bd.  max 1.5g daily

Indication: complicated UTI, joint or bone infections, prostatitis,

SIDE EFFECTS

Common: rash, itch, nausea, diarrhoea, vomitting, abdominal pain, dyspepsia

Infrequent: headache, dizziness, insomnia, depression, restlessness, tremors, arthritis, myalgia, tendonitis, arthralgia,

Generic: norfloxacin

Class: quinolone

Dose: 400mg d.  max 800mg d.

Indication: UTI, shigellosis, prostitis, traveller's diarrhoea

SIDE EFFECTS

Common: rash, itch, nausea, vomitting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, dyspepsia

Rare: headache, dizziness, insomnia, restlessness, depression, tremors, arthralgia, arthritis, myalgia, tendonitis

Generic: doxycycline

Class: macrolide

Dose: 200mg stat then 100mg d.  max 200mg d.  in severe infections it may be bd dosing.

Indication: acne, respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, chlamydia, sinusitis,  

SIDE EFFECTS

Common: nausea, vomitting, diarrhoea, teeth discoloration, enamel displasia, epigastric burning, photosensitivity

Infrequent: rash, stomatitis, bone deformity, fungal overgrowth.

Generic: minomycin

Class: macrolide

Indication: acne, leprosy

Dose: 200mg stat then 100mg bd.  max 400mg d

SIDE EFFECTS

common: nausea, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort, vestibular toxicity, headache, epigastric burning, tooth discoloration, photosensitivity

infrequent: skin pigmentation

Generic: nitrofurantoin

Indication: UTI

Dose 50 - 100mg d.  max 400mg d.  once daily prophylaxis, up to qid for complicated acute UTI.

SIDE EfFECTS:

common: nausea, vomitting, anorexia, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, allergic skin reactions, headache

infrequent: drowsiness, vertigo, dizziness

COUNSELLING

Can make urine brown, may stain contact lenses.

Tell dr if difficulty breathing, cough, numbness or tingling

Take with milk or food to reduce nausea and improve absorption

This medicine may cause dizziness/drowsiness.  Don't drive if affected this way.