Dosage
Adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older can receive 1-2 grams of Ceftriaxone once daily. The maximum dose is 4 grams. Ceftriaxone, which is in powder form, is mixed with non-calcium infusion solution to dilute the solution and infused through the vein for about 30 minutes.
The exact dose depends on the clinical picture to be treated. In the case of meningitis, for example, the dose should be 100 mg per kilogram body weight once a day, but should not exceed the maximum dose of 4 grams per day. For uncomplicated gonorrhea, a single dose of 250 mg is usually sufficient.
Application Indications
Ceftriaxone is an antibiotic that is mostly used to treat serious infections. It can also be prescribed only in hospital for the treatment of most diseases, as it usually has to be administered intravenously over several days. The areas of application include moderate to severe infections of the respiratory tract and the mouth, nose, throat, kidney and urinary tract, skin, soft tissue, bones and joints including wound infections, abdomen and reproductive organs (e.g. gonorrhea). It is also used to treat sepsis (colloquially known as blood poisoning), meningitis and Lyme disease, an infection transmitted by ticks that can spread to the central nervous system.
Contraindications
Ceftriaxone should not be used in cases of known hypersensitivity to antibiotics from the group of cephalosporins. Caution is also required in the case of a previously known hypersensitivity to penicillins, as a cross-allergy can occur in 5-10% of cases. Cephalosporins belong to the group of antibiotics which may be taken during pregnancy in principle, but only if the indication is very strict.
Also in the lactation period an application should be carefully considered, since ceftriaxion can pass into the mother’s milk and also lead to hypersensitivity reactions in the infant. Premature babies in general and newborns with increased bilirubin (hyperbilirubinemia) should not be treated with Ceftriaxone. If kidney function is impaired, the dose of Ceftriaxone must be adjusted or switched to another antibiotic altogether.
