Dosage for Amoxicillin

Introduction: What dosages are there and what should be considered?

Amoxicillin belongs to the group of beta-lactam antibiotics and is a frequently prescribed drug in Germany. Because of its good tolerability, it is also widely used in pediatrics. There are different dosages of amoxicillin, depending on the type of disease and the characteristics of the person affected.

Since Amoxicillin is not only used for a specific disease, but rather for infections of different organ systems, different dosages are necessary. The standard dosage of Amoxicillin is 500 to 1000 mg up to three times a day. A dosage of 750 mg up to three times daily is also possible.

The drug is administered in the form of tablets. Depending on the patient and the disease, higher doses may be necessary. However, the maximum dose of 6000 mg a day must not be exceeded.

In people with impaired kidney function, lower doses may be used than in people with intact kidney function. The dosage of amoxicillin in adults is also different from the dosage for children. The latter receive a weight-adapted dose of the drug up to the age of 12 or up to a weight of 40 kg.

This means that a certain amount of amoxicillin is administered per kilogram of body weight. Children aged 1 to 12 months usually receive 50 to 100 mg of amoxicillin per kilogram of body weight, which is divided into 2 to 3 single doses per day, for a period of 7 to 14 days. Between the ages of 1 and 12 years, children receive 50 to 100 mg of amoxicillin per kilogram of body weight divided into 3 doses per day for 7 days.

This is to avoid over- or underdosing. In general, the dosage of the antibiotic is individually tailored to the disease and the respective patient, which is why no blanket dosages can be given at this point. In principle, serious infections usually require higher doses than less serious diseases.

When taking Amoxicillin, one should make sure that one takes the drug completely for the indicated period of time. If you have forgotten to take a tablet, you should take it at the next possible time. Do not take the next dose too early in such a case, but wait at least 4 hours.