ertapenem Health Article

Generic name(s):

ertapenem

Brand name(s):

Invanz

What is the most important information I should know about ertapenem?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to ertapenem or to any other antibiotics, or to numbing medicine such as lidocaine or Novocain.

Before using ertapenem, tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, a seizure disorder such as epilepsy, or a history of head injury or brain tumor.

Ertapenem is given as an injection into a muscle, or through a needle placed into a vein. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will give you this injection. You may be given instructions on how to use your injections at home. Do not use this medicine at home if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of needles and syringes used in giving the medicine.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

Use this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Ertapenem will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu. Do not give this medication to another person, even if they have the same symptoms you do.

What is ertapenem?

Ertapenem is an antibiotic. It fights bacteria in the body.

Ertapenem is used to treat severe bacterial infections of the skin, lungs, stomach, pelvis, and urinary tract. It is also used to prevent infection in people having certain types of surgery.

Ertapenem may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking ertapenem?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to ertapenem or to any other antibiotics, such as:

• meropenem (Merrem);

• imipenem (Primaxin);

• a cephalosporin such as cefaclor (Ceclor), cefuroxime (Ceftin), cefadroxil (Duricef), cefdinir (Omnicef), cephalexin (Keflex), and others; or

• a penicillin antibiotic such as ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen), amoxicillin (Amoxil, Amoxicot, Biomox, Dispermox, Trimox), carbenicillin (Geocillin), cloxacillin (Cloxapen), dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen), oxacillin (Bactocill), or penicillin (Beepen-VK, Ledercillin VK, Pen-V, Pen-Vee K, Pfizerpen, V-Cillin K, Veetids, and others).

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially lidocaine or Novocain), or if you have:

• kidney disease;

• epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or

• a history of head injury or brain tumor.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use ertapenem, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Ertapenem can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medication to a child younger than 3 months old.