Keflex (cephalexin) Disease Interactions

There are 3 disease interactions with Keflex (cephalexin):

Pseudomembranous colitis has been reported with most antibacterial agents and may range in severity from mild to life-threatening, with an onset of up to several weeks following cessation of therapy. Antibiotic therapy can alter the normal flora of the colon and permit overgrowth of Clostridium difficile, whose toxin is believed to be a primary cause of antibiotic-associated colitis. The colitis is usually characterized by severe, persistent diarrhea and severe abdominal cramps, and may be associated with the passage of blood and mucus. The most common culprits are clindamycin, lincomycin, the aminopenicillins (amoxicillin, ampicillin), and the cephalosporins. Therapy with broad-spectrum antibiotics and other agents with significant antibacterial activity should be administered cautiously in patients with a history of gastrointestinal diseases, particularly colitis. There is some evidence that pseudomembranous colitis, if it occurs, may run a more severe course in these patients and that it may be associated with flares in their underlying disease activity. The offending antibiotic(s) should be discontinued if significant diarrhea occurs during therapy. Stool cultures for Clostridium difficile and stool assay for C. difficile toxin may be helpful diagnostically. A large bowel endoscopy may be considered to establish a definitive diagnosis in cases of severe diarrhea.

Most beta-lactam antibiotics are eliminated by the kidney as unchanged drug and, in some cases, also as metabolites. The serum concentrations of beta-lactam antibiotics and their metabolites may be increased and the half-lives prolonged in patients with impaired renal function. Dosage adjustments may be necessary and modifications should be based on the degree of renal impairment as well as severity of infection in accordance with the individual product package labeling. Renal function tests should be performed periodically during prolonged and/or high-dose therapy, since nephrotoxicity and alterations in renal function have occasionally been associated with the use of these drugs.

Most cephalosporin antibiotics are removed by hemodialysis. Doses should either be scheduled for administration after dialysis or supplemental doses be given after dialysis. Cefonicid, cefixime, and ceftriaxone are not significantly removed by hemodialysis.

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Keflex (cephalexin) drug Interactions

There are 28 drug interactions with Keflex (cephalexin)

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