Chloramphenicol
Trade name: Chloromycetin
Class: antibiotic
Pregnancy: (Category C)
Action:
it inhibits protein synthesis in bacteria by binding to ribosome.
Uses:
§
Not to be used for trivial
infections as prophylaxis of infection § Cold,
throat infections or flu.
§
Treatment of choice for
typhoid fever (not for carrier state).
§
Meningitis due to
hemophilus influenza, pneumocoeoi or § Miningococei.
§
Skin infections
(topically).
§
Brain abscesses.
Dose : by mouth or by intravenous injection or
infusion, 50 mg/kg daily in 4 divided doses (exceptionally, can be doubled for
severe infections such as septicemia and meningitis,
providing high doses reduced as soon as clinically indicated); Child, haemophilus
epiglottitis and pyogenic meningitis, 50–100 mg/kg daily in divided
doses (high dosages decreased as soon as clinically indicated); Infants under 2 weeks 25 mg/kg daily (in 4 divided
doses),
2 weeks–1 year 50 mg/kg daily (in 4 divided doses) Contraindications:
• Hypersensitivity to chloramphenicol.
• Pregnancy
• Nursing mothers.
• Renal and hepatic failure.
Side effects:
• A plastic anemia, pancytopnea, nausea, vomiting abdominal
distention, “progressive pallid cyanoses, ashen gray color, tachypnea , vasomotor
collapse & death”, Gray syndrome in
infants, super infections.
Nursing
considerations:
• Administer I.V. as 10% solution over at least 1 min.
• Note any history of hypersensitivity & other
contraindications, & if
Client takes antidiabetic or other medications that cause
bone marrow depression.
• Neonates should be observed closely (greater hazards of
toxicity).
• Arrange for further hematologic studies to be conducted every 2
days to detect early signs of bone marrow depression.
• The drug should be taken at regular intervals to be most
effective. The drug
should be taken 1 hr before or 2 hr after meals ( if GI upset Occurs it could be taken with the food).
