About meropenem trihydrate
Carbapenem antibiotic
Used for
- Treats serious bacterial infections, including pneumonia, abdominal infections, meningitis, and complicated urinary infections.
- Used for certain infections in people with low white blood cell counts.
Usual adult dose
Usually 500 mg to 1 g intravenously every 8 hours; meningitis or some severe infections may require 2 g every 8 hours. Adjust for kidney function.
Usual dose in children
For children aged 3 months and older, usually 10–20 mg/kg intravenously every 8 hours; meningitis may require 40 mg/kg every 8 hours, maximum 2 g per dose.
Common side effects
- Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or rash
- Headache or injection-site reactions
- Raised liver enzymes
- Rarely, seizures or severe allergic reactions
Important warnings
- For clinician-administered intravenous use; dose depends on infection and kidney function.
- Serious allergy may occur, especially with previous reactions to carbapenems or other beta-lactam antibiotics.
- Can cause antibiotic-associated severe diarrhea and promote resistant bacteria.
- Seizure risk may increase with kidney impairment or certain neurological conditions.
Pregnancy
Use when clearly needed; human pregnancy data are limited, so benefits and risks should be assessed.
Breastfeeding
Small amounts may enter breast milk; monitor the infant for diarrhea or thrush.
Interactions
- Valproate: meropenem can sharply lower valproate levels and increase seizure risk.
- Probenecid can increase meropenem levels.
- May affect oral anticoagulant control; closer monitoring may be needed.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.