Kefzol

Kefzol is a prescription medication used to treat bacterial infections, including lung, skin, bone, joint, stomach, blood, heart valve, and urinary tract infections. It is also used to prevent infection before, during, and after surgery. Kefzol belongs to a group of drugs called cephalosporin antibiotics, which work by stopping the growth of bacteria in the body.

This medication is available in an injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) or into a muscle (IM) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of Kefzol include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

Kefzol is a prescription medication used to treat bacterial infections, including lung, skin, bone, joint, stomach, blood, heart valve, and urinary tract infections. It is also used to prevent infection before, during, and after surgery.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take Kefzol exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The Kefzol dose your doctor recommends will be based on:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your kidney function
• your weight
• your age

The recommended dosing range for Kefzol (cefazolin) in adults is 250 mg to 1500 grams given every 2 to 4 hours. The dose may be decreased if you have a decrease in kidney function.

The recommended dosing range for Kefzol (cefazolin) in children is 25 mg/kg/day to 100 mg/kg/day divided into 3 or 4 equal doses. The dose may be decreased if you have a decrease in kidney function.

Serious side effects have been reported with Kefzol including:

• hypersensitivity (severe allergic reaction). This type of reaction may be serious and possibly fatal. These reactions are more likely to occur in those with a history of penicillin hypersensitivity and/or a history of sensitivity to multiple allergens. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start to develop signs or symptoms of a hypersensitivity reaction, which include the following:
  • chest pain
  • swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, arms, or legs
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • fainting
  • rash
• diarrhea. Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics, and it usually ends when the antibacterial is discontinued. Sometimes after starting treatment with antibiotics, patients can develop watery and bloody stools (with or without stomach cramps and fever) even as late as 2 or more months after having taken their last dose of the antibacterial. If diarrhea is severe or lasts more than 2 or 3 days, contact your doctor, as this may be a sign of an infection of the bowels.
• superinfection: Kefzol should not be used for extended periods. Prolonged use can lead to the growth of dangerous organisms that are resistant to Kefzol. Take this medication for the duration prescribed by your doctor.
• bleeding abnormalities. Your health care provider may want to monitor lab tests that show how well your blood is able to clot or that measure your tendency to bleed. Any abnormalities or irregularities that may occur may be more common in those with kidney dysfunction.
• seizures. Some may experience a seizure when the dose of Kefzol exceeds the recommended dose, especially in the presence of kidney dysfunction.

Do not take Kefzol if you are allergic to any of its ingredients.

Serious side effects have been reported with Kefzol. See the “Drug Precautions” section.

Common side effects of Kefzol include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

This is not a complete list of Kefzol side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• probenecid (Probalan, Benemid)
• methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• birth control pills

This is not a complete list of Kefzol drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Kefzol falls into category B. There are no well-done studies that have been done in humans with Kefzol. But in animal studies, pregnant animals were given this medication, and the babies did not show any medical issues related to this medication.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Kefzol has been detected in human breast milk. Because of the possibility for adverse reactions in nursing infants from Kefzol, a choice should be made whether to stop nursing or to stop use of this medication. The importance of the drug to the mother should be considered.

Cefazolin can interact with other medications. Tell  your doctor if you take birth control pills.

Diarrhea is a common problem caused by antibiotics, and it usually ends when the antibacterial is discontinued. Sometimes patients can develop watery and bloody stools even as late as 2 or more months after having taken their last dose of the antibacterial. If diarrhea is severe or lasts more than 2 or 3 days, contact your doctor.

Finish all doses of cefazolin even if you feel better.

Before taking cefazolin tell your doctor if you are allergic to similar antibiotics (penicillins, cephalosporins).