Antibiotics doses table [On line] - Ed 2022 ⚠️

Seek a medical consult for medicine use in pregnancy or breastfeeding

Contact your closest Pregnancy Drug Information Centre for more information on using medicines when a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding

Aciclovir

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B3 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • # Mix 200mg dispersible tablet in 50mL water to make 4mg/mL solution. Mix well and use straight away
  • If weakened immune system – increase dose
  • If kidney disease – decrease dose
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

 

Albendazole

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: D – do not use
  • Breastfeed: Appears safe
  • Tablets can be chewed or crushed
  • Do not give to children under 6 months or females who are in first trimester of pregnancy without medical consult

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book. 

 

Amoxicillin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, cap) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

 

Amoxicillin-clavulanic acid

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – avoid if PROM
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Doses worked out using amoxicillin component
  • Take with food
  • Caution if liver disease
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, cap) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

Ampicillin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • # Mix with WFI to give 100mg/mL – 500mg with 4.7mL, 1g with 9.3mL
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book.

Azithromycin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

Benzathine benzylpenicillin (Bicillin L-A)

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Long lasting low levels of penicillin
  • Do not give for pneumonia
  • Note: 1,200,000units = 900mg
  • For syphilis dose see STI protocols
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book. 

 

Benzylpenicillin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • # Mix with WFI to give 300mg/mL — 600mg with 1.6mL, 1.2g with 3.2mL
  • Inject over 5 minutes
  • Infuse over 30 minutes
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths available. Doses in brackets (mL) only apply to strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book. 

 

Cefalexin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

 

Cefazolin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • # Mix with WFI to give 100mg/mL — 500mg with 4.8mL, 1g with 9.5mL, 2g with 19mL 
  • Inject over 3 minutes
  • Infuse over 30 minutes
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book.

Ceftazidime

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • # Mix with WFl to give 170mg/mL — 1g with 5mL, 2g with 10mL
  • Inject over 3 minutes
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths available. Doses in brackets (mL) only apply to strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book.

Ceftriaxone

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • # For IM mix with lidocaine 1% to give 250mg/mL – 500mg with 2mL, 1g with 3.5mL – not more than 1g in each buttock
  • # For IV mix with WFI to give 100mg/mL – 500mg with 5mL, 1g with 10mL, 2g with 40mL
  • Inject (up to 1g) over 3 minutes
  • In urgent and  critically unwell (sepsis) – 2g dose can be injected over 5 minutes
  • Infuse over at least 30 minutes
  • Do not mix with Hartman’s solution
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths available. Doses in brackets (mL) only apply to strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book.

 

Cefuroxime

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Take with food to maximise absorption
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

Ciprofloxacin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B3 – not recommended
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • If kidney disease — reduce dose
  • Take 1 hour before or 2 hours after food. Drink plenty of water
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

 

Clindamycin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Take with full glass of water
  • # Mix measured dose with glucose 5% or normal saline to give concentration not more than 12mg/mL
  • Infuse slowly – not more than 30mg/minute
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

 

Dicloxacillin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B2 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • * If giving with probenecid — give same treatment dose but only give twice a day (ie give half usual daily total dose)
  • Take on an empty stomach

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

 

Doxycycline

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: D – do not use
  • Breastfeed: Safe for 7–10 days
  • Take with food

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book. 

 

Flucloxacillin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • If giving oral with probenecid — give same treatment dose but only give twice a day (ie give half usual daily total dose)
  • Take on an empty stomach
  • # Mix with WFI to give 50mg/mL — 500mg with 9.6mL, 1g with 19.3mL
  • Inject over 3 minutes. If 2g inject over 6 minutes
  • Infuse over 30 minutes. Preferred for 2g
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book. 

 

Gentamicin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: D – specialist advice
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • For adult IV push over 3–5 minutes — can be diluted with normal saline to 20mL
  • For children need dilution to 10mg/mL or weaker and infuse over 30 minutes
  • Administer IM undiluted
  • If kidney failure — specialist consult
  • No maximum adult dose — continue to calculate dose by weight
    • If obese — medical consult about adjusted dose
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths available. Doses in brackets (mL) only apply to strength listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book.

 

Ivermectin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B3 – avoid use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Do not give to children under 5 years, or less than 15kg
  • Give with full cream milk or fatty food

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book. 

 

Metronidazole

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B2 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • If pregnant or breastfeeding — give divided doses
  • Withhold breastfeeding for 12 hours after single high dose (2g)
  • Must not drink alcohol while taking and for 24 hours after
  • Take with food
  • If severe liver disease — reduce dose
  • Do not infuse faster than 5mL/min. Give 500mg over 20 minutes
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book.

 

Phenoxymethylpenicillin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book. 

 

Praziquantel

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B1 – specialist advice
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Children don’t like the taste
  • Give with food
  • Do not chew tablet

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book. 

 

Probenecid

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B2 – specialist advice
  • Breastfeed:  Safe to use
  • Delays excretion of penicillin
  • Tablet can be dispersed in water

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book. 

 

Procaine benzylpenicillin (procaine penicillin)

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: A – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Shake well
  • Put into another syringe to measure small doses accurately
  • Roll syringe between palms before use
  • Inject slowly
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Australian Injectable Drugs Handbook, Medicines Book. 

 

Pyrantel

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B2 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Take with food
  • Tablet can be crushed and mixed with jam
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole)

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: C – avoid use
  • Breastfeed: Caution
  • Doses worked out using trimethoprim component
  • Addition of Folic Acid for prolonged or high dose courses
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

 

Valaciclovir

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (8th ed) or WBM (7th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Pregnancy: B3 – appears safe in 3rd trimester but aciclovir preferred
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • Tablets can be crushed but taste unpleasant. Mix with jam 

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

Vancomycin

This table must be used with protocols from CARPA STM (7th ed) or WBM (6th ed) — it does not provide all the information needed for appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Notes:

  • Medical consult
  • Pregnancy: B2 – safe to use
  • Breastfeed: Safe to use
  • # Mix with WFI to make 50mg/mL — 500mg with 10mL, 1g with 20mL
  • Doses 500mg or less can be given over 60 minutes
  • Do not infuse doses greater than 500mg at a rate faster than 10mg/minute as red man syndrome can occur
  • Doses (mL) rounded up to nearest 0.2mL unless this is more than 10% above recommended dose

† = other strengths and forms available. Doses in brackets (mL, tab) only apply to forms and strengths listed.

For more information and details on giving medicine see AMH, Therapeutic Guidelines, Medicines Book.

Use in pregnancy and breastfeeding

For more information on using medicines when a woman is pregnant or breastfeeding, contact your closest Pregnancy Drug Information Centre.

Australian categories for use of medicines in pregnancy

'Harm’ means birth defects or other direct or indirect harm to fetus. For more detail see AMH or Therapeutic Guidelines.

Category A: Have been taken by a large number of pregnant women and women of childbearing age without any known harm
Category B1: Have been taken by a limited number of pregnant women and women of childbearing age without any known harm. Animal studies have not shown harm
Category B2: Women as for B1. Animal studies are poor quality or lacking, but no evidence of harm in available data
Category B3: Women as for B1. Animal studies shown some evidence of harm, but not clear if this is significant for humans
Category C: Have caused or are suspected of causing harm but not malformations. Effects may be non–permanent
Category D: Have caused or are suspected of causing permanent harm
Category X: Have such a high risk of causing permanent harm that they should not be used in women who are or could be pregnant

Notes:

  • The categories of medicine are not hierarchical, eg the allocation of B category does not imply greater safety than C category
  • Category D medicines are not always contraindicated for use in pregnant women. The risks and benefits need to be discussed