Side effect

The side effects of betalactamase inhibitors are due to their antibacterial effect. Therefore, betalactamase inhibitors cause the same side effects as the antibiotics with which they are co-administered. During therapy with antibiotics and betalactam inhibitors, the bacteria that cause an infection are fought by the active ingredients.

This is the desired effect. However, not only the bacteria that cause the disease are killed. Bacteria that naturally belong to the body, such as bacteria in the digestive tract and on the skin, can also be affected by treatment with betalactamase inhibitors.

For this reason, treatments with betalactamase inhibitors and antibiotics often cause side effects in the digestive tract. This often leads to symptoms such as diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Nausea and vomiting can also occur as side effects.

The destruction of the natural intestinal flora also helps other bacteria that are resistant to the antibiotics and betalactamase inhibitors to spread in the digestive tract. The side effects are noticeable on the skin in that instead of the natural bacterial skin flora, other germs such as fungi can now spread on the skin. Especially people with a weakened immune system cannot defend themselves sufficiently against these fungi and therefore suffer from fungal infections more frequently after treatment with beta-lactamase inhibitors and antibiotics.

Interaction

Interactions of betalactamase inhibitors take place mainly in the metabolic process. Thus, the betalactamase inhibitors are mainly metabolised in the liver. In addition, they are excreted partly via the liver and partly via the kidneys.

All drugs that require the same metabolic enzymes of the liver can interact with the betalactamase inhibitors. Since there are different betalactamase inhibitors, it is possible to switch from one of the drugs to another in case of impending interactions. Which betalactamase inhibitor interacts with which other drug cannot be answered in general terms and can be better looked up on the basis of the specific question in the package insert or specialist information.

When should beta-lactamase inhibitors not be given?

Betalactamase inhibitors, like all drugs, must not be given, especially if the person to be treated with the active ingredient is allergic to one of the ingredients. In addition, when treating with beta-lactamase inhibitors, care must always be taken to ensure that the bacteria to be treated can actually be treated by the beta-lactamase inhibitors. Otherwise an unnecessary antibiotic therapy will result, which is not effective and also promotes the development of resistance.

Other contraindications are severe liver or kidney dysfunction. In this case, the dosage of betalactamase inhibitors must be adjusted to the restricted organ function. In some cases, therapy with betalactamase inhibitors is also not possible and more aggressive antibiotics must be used.

Dosage

The dosage of betalactamase inhibitors depends on various factors. In children, for example, a dosage should be adapted to body weight. There are standard dosages for adults, depending on which antibiotic the betalactamase inhibitors are combined with.

Clavulanic acid is often used in combination with amoxicillin at a dosage of 125 mg. Both 500 mg amoxicillin and 875 mg amoxicillin can be combined with 125 mg clavulanic acid. How many of the tablets with this combination of active ingredients should be taken daily also depends on the severity of the disease, the underlying bacterial species and the organ affected.

Tazobactam, on the other hand, is used in combination with piperacillin, for example, in dosages of 0.25 g (= 250 mg) or 0.5 g (= 500 mg). In general, a dose adjustment of beta-lactamase inhibitors must be made if persons who are to be treated with beta-lactamase inhibitors suffer from reduced liver or kidney function. In this case, excretion of the substances is slower, so that the dosage should be reduced.