What is amoxicillin-clavulanate?
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic in a group of drugs called penicillins. Amoxicillin fights bacteria in the body.
Clavulanate potassium is a form of clavulanic acid, which is similar to penicillin. Clavulanate potassium fights bacteria that is often resistant to penicillins and other antibiotics.
The combination of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium is used to treat many different infections caused by bacteria, such as sinusitis, pneumonia, ear infections, bronchitis, urinary tract infections, and infections of the skin.
Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.
-
Precautions
-
Instructions
-
Side Effects
-
Interactions
Precautions
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amoxicillin or clavulanate potassium, or if you have ever had liver problems caused by this medication.
Do not use if you are allergic to any other penicillin antibiotic, such as ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen), carbenicillin (Geocillin), dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen), oxacillin (Bactocill), penicillin (Beepen-VK, Ledercillin VK, Pen-V, Pen-Vee K, Pfizerpen, V-Cillin K, Veetids), and others.
If you have certain conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. Before taking amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium, tell your doctor if you have:
- liver disease (or a history of hepatitis or jaundice);
- kidney disease;
- mononucleosis; or
- if you are allergic to a cephalosporin antibiotic, such as cefdinir (Omnicef), cefprozil (Cefzil), cefuroxime (Ceftin), cephalexin (Keflex), and others.
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.
Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium can make birth control pills less effective. Ask your doctor about using a non-hormone method of birth control (such as a condom, diaphragm, spermicide) to prevent pregnancy while taking amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium.
Amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium 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.
The liquid and chewable tablet forms of this medication may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using these forms of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).
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, stop taking this medication and call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.
▲
Back to top
Instructions
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.
Overdose can cause nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, skin rash, drowsiness, and hyperactivity.
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
▲
Back to top
Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it;
- pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness;
- easy bruising or bleeding;
- skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;
- agitation, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior, seizure (convulsions);
- nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
- fever, sore throat, and headache with severe blistering, peeling, or red skin rash.
Less serious side effects may include:
- mild diarrhea, gas, stomach pain;
- nausea or vomiting;
- headache;
- skin rash or itching;
- white patches in your mouth or throat; or
- vaginal yeast infection (itching or discharge).
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
▲
Back to top
Interactions
Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:
- allopurinol (Zyloprim);
- probenecid (Benemid); or
- another antibiotic (for the same or for a different infection).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.
Other Names
Augmentin, Augmentin ES-600, Augmentin XR, and amoxicillin-clavulanate
▲
Back to top
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04
Updating results…
0 helpful marks
First
Prev
