what drug to use?

sjt9721, BSN, RN · Aug 7, 2005

I have a quick question here. What drugs can a doctor perscribe for a patient who is allergic to Penicillin? What I am trying to ask is, what other antibiotic rather than Penicillin can a patient take if he is allergic to Penicillin?

Cephalosporins, sulfa drugs, etc...It depends on what is being treated.

suzanne4, RN · Aug 7, 2005

Exactly, it depends on what the bug is that they are trying to kill.

moliuchick, RN · Aug 7, 2005

Cephalosporins, sulfa drugs, etc...It depends on what is being treated.

I see, So Vancomycin will not be a good choice of drugs b/c it is similar to Penicillin. Am I right?

MrsMinor · Aug 7, 2005

Actually, with Cephalosporins you need to check cross-sensitivity to PCN....I believe that if one is allergic to PCN, there is and increased chance of similar reaction with Cephalosporin use as well?!!

suzanne4, RN · Aug 7, 2005

Vancomycin ahould not be used as a first-line antibiotic unless the patient is resistant to other meds or it is a medical necessity that it be used, such as for infections where the drug must cross the blood-brain barrier, etc.

This is one of the reasons that we are running into MRSA more frequently, Vancomycin has been the drug of choice in the past for this, but because it has been over used, there are bugs now that are resistant to that.

moliuchick, RN · Aug 7, 2005

Vancomycin ahould not be used as a first-line antibiotic unless the patient is resistant to other meds or it is a medical necessity that it be used, such as for infections where the drug must cross the blood-brain barrier, etc.
This is one of the reasons that we are running into MRSA more frequently, Vancomycin has been the drug of choice in the past for this, but because it has been over used, there are bugs now that are resistant to that.

Does Vancomycin has cross-sensitivity effect to Penicillin? And how about Cephelosporin does it has cross-sensitivity effect to Penicillin?

I am confused.:imbar

moliuchick, RN · Aug 7, 2005

Actually, with Cephalosporins you need to check cross-sensitivity to PCN....I believe that if one is allergic to PCN, there is and increased chance of similar reaction with Cephalosporin use as well?!!

I think Tetracycline can work then?:) What do you think?

suzanne4, RN · Aug 7, 2005

What is this in relation to? There are different drugs used for different infections. It isn't that just any other antibiotic can replace PCN. It is what other antibiotics that the infection is sensitive to.

PCN was one of the old first-line antibiotics. There are now many newer antibiotics that can do the same, if not better, work.

napoca · Aug 7, 2005

I have read somewhere that Patient allergic to penicilin, don't have to take cephalosporiN (cross allergie !)

They can use CIPRO (CIPROFLOXACIN).

This is what I read.

suzanne4, RN · Aug 7, 2005

Again, it is the most important to do a antibiotic sensitivity study by microbiology before trying to prescribe...................

Cipro actually has its problems. It is not used in children, due to a higher incidence of seizures for one reason. My mother actually had a grand mal seizure after taking it. For me, I would avoid taking it unless there was nothing else available to me, and then I would be very cautious with it.

ManyRN2B · Aug 7, 2005

Yes, I've read that if the patient is allergic to penicillin, they usually have a cross sensitization to cephalosporin(sulfa drugs)