Meropenem
Description
Meropenem is an antibiotic. It is used to treat infections of the skin, stomach, and meningitis (infection of the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord). It works by killing the bacteria that cause infection.
Meropenem has some side effects like headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, headache, pain at the site of injection, etc. These side effects may subside by themselves. However, consult your doctor if they bother you for a longer time or worsen. This medicine is not recommended for use if you are allergic to it.
Meropenem is administered in a hospital setting by a qualified healthcare professional. The dose and duration of treatment depend on the severity of your condition. Do not self-administer this medicine. Follow all the instructions given by your doctor.
Meropenem may not be suitable for everyone. Inform your doctor if you have any health conditions or taking any other medications. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant or are breastfeeding before receiving this medicine.
QUICK LINKS:
Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Meropenem
- Swelling and redness at the injection site
- Fever
- Confusion
- Fast heartbeat
- Skin rash
- Black or tarry stools
- Decreased urine output
- Diarrhoea
- Constipation
- Body pain
- White patches in the mouth or on the tongue
- Headache
- Nausea and Vomiting
Uses of Meropenem
What is it prescribed for?
- Bacterial Meningitis
- Skin and structure Infection
- Intra-abdominal Infection
Read More
Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe time taken by Meropenem to show its effect is not clinically known.
- Duration of effectThe time duration for which Meropenem remains effective in your body is not clinically known.
- Safe with alcohol?Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
- Is it habit forming?No habit-forming tendency has been reported for Meropenem.
- Usage in pregnancy?Meropenem is not recommended for use during pregnancy as there is insufficient safety information. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
- Usage while breast-feeding?Meropenem is not recommended for use while breastfeeding unless necessary. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
Allergy
Meropenem is not recommended for use if you are allergic to it. Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any symptoms such as skin rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, breathing difficulty, etc.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
Meropenem is not recommended for use during pregnancy as there is insufficient safety information. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant.
Breast-feeding
Meropenem is not recommended for use while breastfeeding unless necessary. Consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
General warnings
Drug-resistance
Antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria develop the ability to defeat the medicine that was intended to kill them. The entire course of treatment with Meropenem should be completed to avoid antibiotic resistance.
Clostridium difficile-associated Diarrhoea
Clostridium difficile is a bacteria that infects the bowel and causes diarrhoea. Meropenem may cause an imbalance in the normal microbial flora of your large intestine which promotes the growth of bacteria called Clostridium difficile.
Use in children
Meropenem is not recommended for use in children less than three months of age as the safety and efficacy data are not clinically established.
Impaired kidney function
Meropenem is filtered by the kidneys and removed from your body via urine. Any impairment in kidney function can lead to its accumulation in the body, thus increasing the risk of side effects.
Missed Dose
Meropenem is administered in the hospital setting by a qualified healthcare professional thus, the chances of missing a dose are very less.
Overdose
As Meropenem is administered in a hospital setting by a qualified healthcare professional, the possibility of an overdose is quite low. If an overdose is suspected, your doctor will initiate emergency medical treatment.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Instructions
Interaction with alcohol is unknown. It is advisable to consult your doctor before consumption.
Interaction with Medicine
Tramadol
Ethinyl Estradiol
Cholera Vaccine
Valproic Acid
Typhoid vaccine live
Disease interactions
Central nervous system disorders
Central nervous system disorders are diseases that affect the brain and spinal cord. Meropenem should be used with caution as it may cause seizures (fits), tremors, depression, hallucination, etc. The risk is especially higher if you have a history of such conditions.
Colitis
Colitis is swelling and infection in your large intestine. Meropenem may kill the helpful bacteria in the stomach and intestine and cause diarrhoea. Hence it should be used with extreme caution if you have stomach and intestinal problems, particularly colitis (swelling of the large intestine), as it may worsen your condition.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Meropenem is usually administered by a qualified healthcare professional in the hospital or clinical setting.
Follow all the instructions given by your doctor.
Consult your doctor if you experience any side effects that persist or worsen.
Miscelleneous
How it works
Meropenem works by interfering with the bacterial cell wall synthesis, bacterial cell wall is required by the bacteria to grow. Hence, it kills the bacteria and also prevents it from growing.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Carbapenems, Antibiotics
Schedule
Schedule H1
Drugs, H., 2022. Meropenem Injection: MedlinePlus Drug Information. [online] Medlineplus.gov. Available at: < [Accessed 10 January 2022].
Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2022. DailyMed - MEROPENEM injection. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 10 January 2022].
Medicines.org.uk. 2022. Meronem IV 1g Powder for solution for injection or infusion - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc). [online] Available at: < [Accessed 10 January 2022].
Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2022. Meropenem. [online] Available at: < [Accessed 10 January 2022].
Information on this page was last updated on 4 Mar 2022
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.