Amoxiclav dosage for sinusitis in adults

An antibiotic for the treatment of sinusitis is prescribed taking into account the sensitivity of the pathogen to it.

To select the correct treatment, you need to determine the type of bacteria that caused sinusitis. And this requires time, which is usually not available during the acute course of the disease.

Therefore, in order not to start the process, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed, which act on most pathogens. A suitable option would be penicillin drugs, of which Amoxiclav is a representative in the appropriate dosage.

Composition of the drug

Amoxiclav is a combination drug that contains amoxicillin in combination with an inhibitor of bacterial enzymes (β-lactamase) - clavulanic acid.

Analogues: Amoklav, Augmentin, Kuram, etc.

Form: tablets, intravenously, suspensions.

Antibiotic composition and release form

Before you learn how to use Amoxiclav for sinusitis, you need to get to know this drug better. The medication contains the main active ingredient amoxicillin. Clavulanic acid enhances the effect of this component. The medicine is available in different doses and forms. What can you buy at the pharmacy?

• Amoxiclav tablets. The composition includes 250, 500, 875 or 1000 mg of amoxicillin. Clavulanic acid is contained in all tablets in the same amount: 125 mg. The additional substances used are crospovidone, silicon dioxide, talc, magnesium stearate and croscarmellose sodium.
• Amoxiclav suspension. Available in three ratios of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid: 125/31.25 mg, 250/62.5 mg, 400/57 mg. Additional ingredients: citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, carmellose, silicon dioxide, sodium saccharinate, gum, mannitol, flavoring.
• Powder for solution (for injection). The composition contains 500 or 1000 mg of amoxicillin and 100 or 200 mg of clavulanic acid, respectively.

The drug "Amoxiclav" for sinusitis can also be prescribed in the form of dispersible tablets containing 500 and 875 mg of amoxicillin.

Pharmacological activity and spectrum of action of Amoxiclav

Amoxicillin, which is part of the drug, inhibits the synthesis of the bacterial wall, and the inclusion of clavulanic acid allows Amoxiclav to be prescribed for infections that are resistant to penicillins. This acid creates a stable complex with the antibiotic and prevents bacteria from destroying it.

In addition, the addition of clavulanic acid to amoxicillin enhances the intracellular activity of leukocytes, allowing them to more quickly cope with the root cause of sinusitis - infection.

Clavulanic acid is inactive against some bacteria that produce type I β-lactamases: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter, serratia and some others, which must be taken into account when treating chronic forms of sinusitis caused by combined microflora.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding

During pregnancy, a woman’s immunity is significantly weakened, so it is very difficult to avoid infectious diseases. The use of medications should be kept to a minimum, but for sinusitis you cannot do without antibiotics.

Taking the drug is prohibited if 20 days have not passed after conception, since the placenta during this period does not have a protective property.

In the last months of gestation, restrictions on medications are reduced, but you should be aware that amoxicillin can penetrate the placenta and affect the baby. Therefore, you should strictly adhere to the dosage and follow the doctor’s recommendations.

Expectant mothers take antibiotic tablets. The duration of use of the medication should not exceed seven days. The amount of medication should not exceed 1.2 grams per day. Increasing the dosage is strictly prohibited.

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To reduce the possible negative effects of Amoxiclav, it is better to drink the tablet during meals, you should drink large volumes of liquid.

If you feel unwell after taking the medicine (dizziness, vomiting, anxiety, diarrhea), you should tell your doctor.

At the time of breastfeeding, you should also carefully consider the dosage of Amoxiclav and follow the instructions of a specialist. The drug passes into breast milk in small quantities, but the baby is allowed to breastfeed. It is better to drink the medicine after feeding; it leaves the body after 60 minutes.

Amoxiclav does not have a negative effect on the child. If your baby develops colic or a rash, it is better to stop taking the medication or adjust the dosage with the help of a specialist.

According to reviews from nursing mothers, the medicine does not cause any adverse reactions in babies. In addition to safety, the advantage of Amoxiclav is its affordability.

You should not self-medicate, as this can lead to serious consequences and complications. Before use, you must carefully study the instructions and find out if there are any contraindications for the patient. Amoxiclav should be used for sinusitis only as prescribed by a doctor.

Dosage

It is necessary to clearly understand that any dosage of the drug is prescribed by the attending physician, taking into account the individual characteristics of the person: weight, age, severity of the disease, associated complications, data on allergic reactions. Below is the average dosage prescribed for sinusitis.

Adults and children weighing over 40 kg, with mild to moderate disease, are prescribed 1 tablet 250 mg + 125 mg three times a day. For severe disease, 1 tablet 500 mg + 125 mg twice a day. The duration of treatment averages from 10 to 14 days.

Indications for use

There are a number of contraindications, in the presence of which you should not take the described drug (or you should consult a medical specialist):

• Allergy, as well as personal intolerance to some of the components of penicillin antibiotics;
• A history of diseases such as hepatitis or jaundice;
• Infectious mononucleosis.

Pregnant women, as well as young mothers nursing a newborn baby, are usually allowed to take this drug. But it all depends on what the doctor decides. It is likely that he may prohibit the use of the drug, replacing it with another antibiotic.

If the patient had allergic manifestations to penicillin antibiotics, then Amoxiclav should be replaced with another drug. Also done in the presence of liver failure. For kidney diseases that occur with impaired excretory function, the dose of the drug is calculated individually.

Clavulanic acid, present in Amoxiclav, is not only a beta-lactamase inhibitor. It significantly reduces the likelihood of side effects from the stomach and intestines, which are not uncommon during treatment with Amoxicillin.

The optimal ratio of the main components of Amoxiclav - amoxicillin and clavulanic acid - allows it to be used in the treatment of sinusitis with the greatest effectiveness. The minimum of contraindications and side effects makes this drug the most used in therapy.

Amoxiclav is used to treat the following infectious diseases:

• lower and upper respiratory tract;
• inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, bladder, urethra;
• chlamydia, ureaplasma, abortion, damage to the mucous membranes of the genital organs;
• inflammatory process in the gallbladder and duct, intestines, liver;
• caries, pulpitis, gingivitis, stomatitis;
• infection by microorganisms of the skin and soft tissues.

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Amoxiclav is not advisable to use in the following situations:

• hypersensitivity of the immune system to penicillin antibiotics, which is manifested by an unpleasant burning and tingling sensation in the skin area, redness of the skin, angioedema;
• increased levels of bilirubin in the blood, inflammatory liver disease of viral origin, kidney pathologies;
• acute viral disorder of the spleen and liver, malignant lesion in the lymphatic tissue.

At the time of therapy, alcohol consumption must be avoided; it disrupts digestive function and poisons the liver. Even small amounts of alcoholic beverages can minimize the effectiveness of the medication.

The drug is well tolerated, but sometimes temporary negative effects occur. These include migraine, nausea, vomiting, loose stools, dizziness, lack of sleep, decreased appetite, stomatitis, urticaria, flatulence, rash.

Sometimes there is blood in the urine (hematuria), the level of bilirubin is exceeded. In children under six years of age, baby teeth turn yellow or gray.

Amoxiclav can accumulate in all biological fluids, including the purulent contents of inflamed maxillary sinuses. The wide spectrum of effects of the antibacterial component of Amoxiclav is effective for sinusitis of various origins, in cases of acute and chronic forms of the disease.

When examining discharge from the maxillary sinuses at different stages of the disease, it was revealed that already on the 5-6th day of therapy, their contents become sterile. It is recommended to take the drug, depending on the severity of the disease, from 7 to 14 days.

Acute form of sinusitis with mild to moderate severity is treated with Amoxiclav in the following dosages:

1. Children under 12 years of age: 40 mg of antibiotic per 1 kg of body weight 3 times a day.
2. Adults and children over 12 years of age (weighing more than 40 kg) are prescribed Amoxiclav at the rate of 750-1000 mg per day in 2 or 3 doses.

The effectiveness of the drug is not related to meals: you can take tablets or suspension before, after or during meals. A severe form of acute sinusitis requires the appointment of 1500-1750 mg of antibiotic per day, often in the form of intravenous injections.

Treatment of sinusitis in pediatrics can be carried out with this drug. But in this case, another form is considered priority. Children are more often prescribed dispersible tablets or suspension. Newborn babies and children up to 3 months are prescribed 30 mg of amoxicillin for every 1 kg of body weight 2 times a day.

From three months, the medicine is used 3 times a day. The daily dose for mild cases of the disease is 20 mg per kilogram, and for severe cases - 40 mg per kilogram. Dispersible tablets are prescribed to children only after 12 years of age, depending on the severity of the infection.

Other medications, including traditional medicine, can be used for treatment in children.

If sinusitis occurs in a pregnant woman, then doctors first try to cure the disease with safer means.

The drug Amoxiclav is not used during lactation, as there is a possibility of its excretion in breast milk. If therapy with this drug is necessary, feeding should be stopped.

The main contraindications for the treatment of sinusitis with Amoxiclav are:

• High sensitivity to components or intolerance to them;
• Impaired liver function (jaundice, hepatitis);
• Renal failure (including a history);
• Erythematous rash.

Amoxiclav is one of the most popular antibiotics for the treatment of sinusitis. Unlike similar medications, it has few contraindications. The main ones:

• chronic and acute liver diseases, jaundice;
• hypersensitivity to the components of the composition, the penicillin group;
• allergy to cephalosporins;
• infectious mononucleosis and leukemia.

The most common side effects are reactions from the digestive system - loss of appetite, diarrhea and nausea. In case of overdose, reversible leukopenia and thrombocytopenia may develop.

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Despite the fact that the drug is very effective, there are various contraindications for its use:

• allergy to amoxicillin, clavulanic acid or any auxiliary component;
• in the past, the patient had intolerance to penicillin antibacterial agents or β-lactam antibiotics;
• a history of hepatobiliary disorders while taking amoxicillin/clavulanic acid;
• pediatric patients under 12 years of age (for tablets);
• acute viral disease with a triad of symptoms: fever, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes;
• malignant lesion of lymphatic tissue.

Amoxiclav should be prescribed with caution to patients with severe kidney disease, pseudomembranous colitis, liver failure, and also during breastfeeding.

In addition, when taking Amoxiclav during the treatment of sinusitis, the body may develop negative reactions:

1. Digestive system. Dyspeptic symptoms, abdominal pain, lack of appetite, reflex eruption of stomach contents.
2. Hepatobiliary region. An increase in ALT, AST (liver enzymes in the blood), liver dysfunction, and in rare cases, cholestatic syndrome accompanied by jaundice.
3. Possible allergies. Formation of spots and rashes on the surface of the skin, itching. In rare cases, an acute disease of the skin and mucous membranes with polymorphic rashes appears, anaphylactic shock develops, as well as an inflammatory process of the walls of blood vessels that occurs as a result of an allergic reaction.
4. Nervana system. Headache, disturbance of spatial orientation. In patients seen by a nephrologist, the drug in high dosages can provoke seizures. Very rarely, patients while taking Amoxiclav become hyperactive, they have panic attacks and problems sleeping.
5. Hematopoietic organs. Rarely, a reversible decrease in the number of white blood cells or platelets occurs. Very rarely - the phenomenon of increased destruction of red blood cells, a tendency to hypocoagulation, or a sharp decrease in the number of all cells of the blood system.
6. Urinary system. Very rarely, it is possible to develop an abacterial inflammatory process, which at the initial stage affects the kidney tissue with damage to the tubules and blood vessels, and then all other renal structures.

In addition, while taking Amoxiclav, superinfection may develop. But usually the side effects are mild and go away fairly quickly. However, the patient must evaluate the body's reaction and report the slightest deviations to his doctor.

But if an otolaryngologist prescribed this drug for sinusitis, then if used correctly along with other drugs, it is possible to achieve quick positive results.

Amoxiclav is not used in patients with pathologies from the following list:

• impaired kidney function;
• lymphocytic leukemia;
• pseudomembranous colitis;
• liver failure caused by hepatitis or the negative effects of alcohol;
• mononucleosis.

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The drug Amoxiclav is not prescribed to patients who have individual hypersensitivity to any substances from its composition, as well as those with poor tolerance to penicillin products. Increased caution requires the use of antibiotics in persons with a history of allergic reactions to cephalosporins.

Movement of matter within the body

After oral administration, both substances are quickly and well absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, regardless of food intake.

The mutual parameters of these two components of Amoxiclav are approximately similar, so they do not affect each other’s distribution throughout the body.

The components of the drug freely penetrate the body tissues and accumulate in the secretions of the maxillary sinuses, lungs, middle ear and other places. They penetrate the placental and blood-brain barriers and pass into breast milk in small quantities.

They are partially destroyed in the liver and are excreted mainly by the kidneys, which should be taken into account when prescribing to patients with chronic renal failure and those on hemodialysis.

Why take an antibiotic for sinusitis?

Sinusitis is inflammation of the maxillary sinuses. Develops with complicated discharge of viscous secretions from the nasal passages. This creates a favorable environment for the growth and reproduction of pathogenic flora. Amoxiclav helps well in the fight against microbes. Amoxicillin binds to and destroys pathogenic flora. Clavulanic acid complements and enhances the effect of the main substance. This combination destroys persistent penicillinase-producing bacteria.

Is the drug effective for purulent runny nose?

Treatment of sinusitis with Amoxiclav provides a stable therapeutic effect. The active component is completely absorbed from the digestive tract and accumulates in high concentrations in the maxillary sinuses. Amoxicillin reaches its maximum concentration in blood plasma 1 hour after administration of a single dose.

Side effects

Amoxiclav is well tolerated, negative effects are usually mild and temporary:

From the gastrointestinal tract: Nausea, diarrhea, vomiting; less often - flatulence, bloating, etc. Sometimes Amoxiclav therapy can cause the development of pseudomembranous colitis. From the nervous system: Headache, excitability, insomnia. From the skin: Edema, rashes, urticaria, etc. From the blood: Anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and agranulocytosis. From the liver and biliary tract: Increased enzyme levels, jaundice, hepatitis. Other: Candidiasis, hematuria.