Guide To Amoxicillin

Dosage Factors

The correct dose of amoxicillin depends on the condition to be treated, and the patient's age and overall health are also considered. For example, adults who are using amoxicillin to treat a skin infection will normally take 250 to 875 milligrams of amoxicillin every eight to twelve hours, and the pediatric dose for mild to moderate skin infections is 250 milligrams every eight hours or five hundred milligrams every twelve hours for patients who weigh at least forty kilograms. When this medication is used to treat pneumonia in adults, the recommended dose is between 1,500 to 3,000 milligrams per day. Amoxicillin is often prescribed to treat ear infections in children, and the typical dose for these patients is eighty to ninety milligrams of amoxicillin per kilogram of body weight. Dosage adjustments may be needed for patients with liver or kidney issues. While individuals with mild to moderate kidney impairment can take the standard dose, those with severe kidney dysfunction may need to take as little as 250 to five hundred milligrams of amoxicillin per day. Patients with these conditions should ask their doctors about the appropriate dose for their health needs.

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Who Shouldn't Take Amoxicillin

Patients who are allergic to any antibiotics in the penicillin family, including ampicillin and dicloxacillin, should not use amoxicillin. Individuals who have mononucleosis may not be able to safely take this medicine, and patients with severe kidney disease may need to take a lower dose or use an alternate antibiotic instead. Patients who are allergic to cephalosporin antibiotics may need to use a different antibiotic as well, and individuals who have had diarrhea while taking antibiotics may do better with another antibiotic. Amoxicillin is known to reduce the effectiveness of birth control pills, and patients who use these should ask their physician about using a non-hormonal method of birth control during treatment with amoxicillin. Currently, researchers do not know if amoxicillin could harm an unborn baby. Patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding should discuss amoxicillin use with their doctor.

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