Floxapen

How does it work?

Floxapen capsules, syrup and injection contain the active ingredient flucloxacillin. (NB. Flucloxacillin is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.) Flucloxacillin belongs to a group of antibiotics called penicillins. It is used to treat infections caused by bacteria.

Flucloxacillin 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. Flucloxacillin impairs the bonds that hold the bacterial cell wall together. This allows holes to appear in the cell walls and kills the bacteria.

Flucloxacillin differs from other penicillin-type antibiotics. When bacteria become resistant to penicillin antibiotics it is because they produce an enzyme called penicillinase. This enzyme breaks down the penicillin and makes it ineffective at killing the bacteria. Flucloxacillin is not affected by this enzyme. This means it is used primarily to treat infections caused by bacteria that are resistant to other penicillin antibiotics.

The types of infection flucloxacillin is used to treat include: infections affecting the skin and soft tissue (eg boils, cellulitis, impetigo, and infected eczema, ulcers, burns and wounds); bone infections; urinary tract infections; respiratory tract infections (eg pneumonia, sinusitis, lung abcess, pharyngitis, quinsy); meningitis; and blood poisoning (septicaemia). Flucloxacillin is also sometimes used to prevent infections during major surgery, for example bone or heart surgery.

To make sure the bacteria causing an infection are susceptible to flucloxacillin 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 skin and soft tissue, such as infected ulcers, wounds or burns, abscesses, cellulitis, impetigo, boils

Bacterial infections of the lungs and airways (respiratory tract), such as pneumonia, lung abscess

Bacterial ear, nose and throat infections, such as sinusitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, quinsy, otitis media and otitis externa

Bacterial infections of bone (osteomyelitis)

Bacterial infections of the urinary tract

Bacterial meningitis

Bacterial infections of the blood (septicaemia or blood poisoning)

Bacterial infections of the lining of the heart or heart valves (endocarditis)

Bacterial infections of the intestine (enteritis)

Preventing bacterial infections during major surgery, eg heart or bone surgery.

Warning!

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, it is important that you finish the prescribed course of this antibiotic medicine, even if you feel better or it seems the infection has cleared up. Stopping the course early increases the chance that the infection will come back and that the bacteria will grow resistant to the antibiotic.

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.

It is recommended that your kidney and liver function are monitored if you receive prolonged treatment (longer than two weeks) with this medicine.

On very rare occasions this medicine may cause liver problems, either during treatment, or up to a few months after treatment is finished. For this reason, you should consult your doctor promptly if you experience symptoms that could suggest a liver problem either during or after taking this medicine. These symptoms might include unexplained itching, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pains, loss of appetite or flu-like symptoms, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice), or unusually dark urine.

Use with caution in

Decreased liver function

Severely decreased kidney function

People over 50 years of age

People with serious underlying illness.

Not to be used in

Allergy to penicillin or cephalosporin type antibiotics

People with a history of liver problems or jaundice caused by previous treatment with this medicine.

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. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

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.

There are no known harmful effects when this medicine is used during pregnancy. However, as with all medicines, it should be used with caution during pregnancy and only if the expected benefits outweigh any potential risk. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.

This medicine passes into breast milk in small amounts that are unlikely to be harmful to the nursing infant. However, as with all medicines it should be used with caution in breastfeeding mothers, and only if the expected benefit outweighs any possible risk. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.

Label warnings

Take this medication an hour before food or on an empty stomach.

Take at regular intervals. Complete the prescribed course unless otherwise directed.

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