Spectrum: Local Antimicrobial Stewardship, for Bakersfield Memorial Hospital

Meropenem

Restricted
Restricted

C. diff Risk

Medium

Oral Bioavailability

NA

Approximate Cost

Spectrum Of Activity

General Spectrum of Activity

Spectrum Of Activity

General Spectrum of Activity

Antibiogram Data

Dosing

Renal

Adult

Restricted to Infectious Disease physicians OR or patients with documentation of one of BMH's approved criteria for use

Standard Dose
1 gm IV every 8 hr

Meningitis
2 gm IV every 8 hr

Pediatric

General Information

Acceptable Uses

Acceptable Uses

  • Infections due to multi-drug resistant (MDR) organisms (ESBL+, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter)

  • Treatment of meningitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

  • Empiric treatment in patients suspected to have a resistant gram negative infection based on recent history of a documented MDR pathogen

  • Failure of broad spectrum gram negative antimicrobial therapy after 48 hours

Unacceptable Uses

Unacceptable Uses
  • Empiric treatment of a suspected gram negative infection without recent documented history of a MDR pathogen

Common Usage

Common Usage

Therapy of serious, often nosocomial infections involving resistant gram negative organisms

Drug Monitoring

Drug Monitoring

Lab

  • Renal function

Clinical

  • Hypersensitivity

  • GI effects

  • Seizures (rare)

Adverse Effects

Adverse Effects

  •  Immediate and delayed-type allergy

  •  GI disturbance

  •  Cytopenias, positive Coombs

  •  Liver enzyme abnormalities

Major Interactions

Major Interactions

Valproic acid - Carbapenems decrease valproate levels and may decrease seizure threshold

Pharmacology

Pharmacology

Antimicrobial class: Carbapenem

Pregnancy category: B

Average serum half life: 1 hour

Urine penetration: Therapeutic

Lung penetration: Therapeutic

CSF penetration: Moderate

Biliary penetration: Therapeutic