Proper Use

Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®

Keep using this medicine for the full treatment time, even if you feel better after the first few doses. Your infection may not clear up if you stop using the medicine too soon. Skipping doses or not completing the full course of therapy may decrease the usefulness of this medicine. It may also increase the likelihood that the bacteria causing your infection will develop resistance. If this happens, ertapenem and other medicines used to treat infections will not work in the future. Also, this medicine works best when there is a constant amount in the blood or urine. To help keep the amount constant, it must be given on a regular schedule.

This medicine is given as an injection into a muscle, or through a needle placed into a vein. Ertapenem may sometimes be given to patients who do not need to be in the hospital. If you are using this medicine at home, your doctor will teach you how to prepare and inject the medicine. Be sure that you understand exactly how the medicine is prepared and injected.

Ertapenem should not be mixed with other medicines or with diluents containing dextrose .

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

  • For injection dosage form:
    • For bacterial infections:
      • Adults and teenagers—1 gram (g) injected into a vein or injected into a muscle once a day. Your doctor will determine your injection site and the length of time that you will take it.
      • Children and infants (3 months to 12 years of age)—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor. The usual dose is 15 milligram (mg) per kilogram (kg) (or 6.8 mg per pound [lb]) of body weight injected into a vein or injected into a muscle twice a day. Your doctor will determine your injection site and the length of time you will take it.
      • Infants younger than 3 months of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor .

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Store unopened vials of this medicine at room temperature, away from heat and direct light. Do not freeze .

Store the medicine that has been mixed at room temperature and use it within 6 hours. You may also store this mixture for 24 hours in the refrigerator and use it within 4 hours after removing from the refrigerator. Throw away any mixed medicine that has not been used within this time. Do not freeze the solution .

Throw away used needles in a hard, closed container that the needles cannot poke through. Keep this container away from children and pets .