avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate at a glance
Medicine class
Third-generation cephalosporin plus beta-lactamase inhibitor.
Licensed role
Serious complicated abdominal, urinary and hospital-acquired lung infections, and selected aerobic Gram-negative infections with limited treatment options.
Administration
Given into a vein by a doctor or nurse after the powder has been reconstituted and diluted.
Important check
Kidney function and previous serious reactions to beta-lactam antibiotics require careful assessment.
What is avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate used for?
Licensed in adults and children from birth for:
Complicated infection within the abdomen.
Complicated urinary-tract infection, including kidney infection.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia, including ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Bacteraemia in adults associated with one of these infections.
Infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative organisms when treatment options are limited.
How does avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate work?
Ceftazidime disrupts bacterial cell-wall formation, causing susceptible bacteria to die. Avibactam blocks several beta-lactamases—including many ESBL, KPC, OXA-48 and AmpC enzymes—that would otherwise destroy ceftazidime. It does not block metallo-beta-lactamases and has limited activity against many other class D enzymes.
How to take avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate
A healthcare professional prepares and gives this treatment as an intravenous infusion. The powder must be reconstituted and diluted using aseptic technique. It must not be mixed with other medicines unless compatibility is established.
Tell the clinical team about previous reactions to cephalosporins, penicillins, carbapenems or monobactams.
Tell them if you have kidney problems or follow a controlled-sodium diet.
Do not drive or use machinery if treatment makes you dizzy.
avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate side effects
Common or expected effects
- Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or abdominal pain.
- Headache or dizziness.
- Thrush or another fungal infection.
- Itching, hives or a rash.
- Fever, pain or inflammation around the infusion site.
- Changes in blood-cell counts, liver tests or a positive direct Coombs test.
Get urgent medical advice
- Severe allergy, including breathing difficulty, swelling or sudden chest pain.
- Blistering, peeling or widespread rash, particularly with fever or mouth, eye or genital sores.
- Persistent, worsening, bloody or mucus-containing diarrhoea, including after treatment ends.
- Seizures, marked confusion, twitching or reduced consciousness, especially with impaired kidney function.
- Yellow skin or eyes, severe anaemia or signs of acute kidney injury.
avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate in pregnancy
Most pregnancy studies of cephalosporins have not shown harm to the baby, but experience with this combination is more limited. It should be used only when the expected benefit outweighs possible risk. Tell the prescriber about an existing or planned pregnancy.
avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate while breastfeeding
Small quantities of ceftazidime enter breast milk; it is unknown whether avibactam does. A risk to the infant cannot be excluded. The specialist team should weigh the benefits of breastfeeding and treatment when deciding whether either should be paused.
avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate interactions
Tell the clinical team about all prescribed, over-the-counter and complementary medicines. Important interactions include:
Probenecid
May alter avibactam elimination; concurrent use is not recommended.
Aminoglycoside antibiotics
Concurrent treatment may increase the risk of impaired kidney function.
Potent diuretics such as furosemide
Concurrent treatment may adversely affect kidney function.
Common questions about avibactam sodium + ceftazidime pentahydrate
Answers are fully visible for fast scanning and source review.
Is this an antibiotic?
Yes. It combines a cephalosporin antibiotic with a beta-lactamase inhibitor that helps protect it from certain bacterial resistance enzymes.
Can it be used in children?
The selected product is licensed for specified infections in children from birth, with specialist prescribing and preparation required.
Why might another antibiotic be given with it?
It has little or no activity against most Gram-positive bacteria and anaerobes, so additional cover may be required when these organisms are suspected.
Sources
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.