Health Centres - Zinnat (cefuroxime)
How does it work?
Zinnat tablets and suspension contain the active ingredient cefuroxime, which is a type of medicine called an antibiotic. (NB. Cefuroxime is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.) Cefuroxime is a type of antibiotic called a cephalosporin. These antibiotics are related to penicillin. Cefuroxime is used to treat infections caused by bacteria.
Cefuroxime works by interfering with the ability of bacteria to form cell walls. The cell walls of bacteria are vital for their survival. They keep unwanted substances from entering their cells and stop the contents of their cells from leaking out. Cefuroxime impairs the bonds that hold the bacterial cell wall together. This allows holes to appear in the cell walls and kills the bacteria.
Cefuroxime is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that kills a wide variety of bacteria that cause a wide variety of commonly occuring infections. Cefuroxime is given by mouth to treat infections of the upper and lower airways, ears, nose and throat, and skin and soft tissue. It may also be used to treat urinary tract infections, certain sexually-transmitted infections, and Lyme disease.
To make sure the bacteria causing an infection are susceptible to cefuroxime your doctor may take a tissue sample, for example a swab from the throat or skin, or a urine or blood sample.
What is it used for?
- Bacterial infections of the lungs (chest or lower respiratory tract), eg acute bronchitis, pneumonia
- Bacterial infection of the nasal passages, sinuses or throat (upper respiratory tract infection), eg sinusitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis
- Bacterial infections of the ear, eg otitis media
- Bacterial infections of the urinary tract, eg cystitis, inflammation of the urethra due to infection (urethritis), kidney infections (pyelonephritis)
-
Gonorrhoea
- Inflammation of the cervix due to bacterial infection (cervicitis)
- Bacterial infections of the skin or soft tissue, eg boils, abscesses, impetigo
-
Lyme disease.
Warning!
- Broad-spectrum antibiotics can sometimes cause inflammation of the bowel (colitis). For this reason, if you get diarrhoea that becomes severe or persistent or contains blood or mucus, either during or after taking this medicine, you should consult your doctor immediately.
- Zinnat suspension contains aspartame, which is a source of phenylalanine, and so may be unsuitable for people with the inherited disorder of protein metabolism called phenylketonuria.
- Reconstituted bottles of Zinnat suspension should be stored in a refrigerator between 2 and 8°C and can be used for up to ten days.
Use with caution in
-
Allergy to penicillin-type antibiotics.
Not to be used in
- Allergy to cephalosporin-type antibiotics.
- This medicine is not recommended for children under three months of age.
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
- This medicine is not known to be harmful when used by pregnant women, but as with all medicines, it should be used with caution during pregnancy and only when considered essential by your doctor, particularly during the first trimester. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
- This medicine passes into breast milk. It should be used with caution by breastfeeding mothers and only if the expected benefit to the mother is greater than any possible risk to the nursing infant. Seek medical advice from your doctor.
Label warnings
- Take this medication with or after food.
- Zinnat tablets should be swallowed whole, not chewed, broken or crushed.
- Take at regular intervals. Complete the prescribed course unless otherwise directed.
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