Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved cefepime injection to treat:
This article describes possible side effects of cefepime injection. To learn more about cefepime, including the drug’s uses, side effects, and more, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Cefepime injection is a generic medication. It isn’t available in a brand-name version.
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More common side effects of cefepime
Cefepime injection may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.
Commonly reported side effects of cefepime injection include:
- injection reactions*
- rash
- diarrhea*
- nausea
- headache
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of cefepime in detail” section below.
Mild side effects of cefepime
Cefepime may cause certain mild side effects. Typically, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.
Mild side effects of cefepime injection that occurred in studies include:
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of cefepime in detail” section below.
Cefepime injection may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.
Serious side effects of cefepime
Cefepime may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from cefepime injection, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.
After the FDA approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with cefepime.
Serious side effects of cefepime injection that occurred in studies include:
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of cefepime in detail” section below.
† This side effect wasn’t reported in studies of the drug. But it has occurred in people after the drug was approved for use.
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Common questions about side effects of cefepime
Here are answers to some common questions about side effects of cefepime injection. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
Is cefepime safe for older adults?
Maybe. In studies, cefepime worked just as well and caused similar side effects in older adults (ages 65 years and above) compared to younger adults.
Still, older adults may clear cefepime from their bodies more slowly compared with younger adults. This means the drug can reach higher levels in the body, which can increase the risk of serious side effects such as neurotoxicity (damage to the nervous system).
Due to this risk, doctors may prescribe a lower dosage of cefepime for older adults.
If you have questions about the safety of cefepime given your age, talk with your doctor.
Does cefepime cause long-term side effects?
Possibly. Most of cefepime’s side effects are temporary and resolve after treatment. But in some cases, cefepime injection may cause long-term side effects. These can last for a while after you’ve stopped taking the drug.
Examples of long-term side effects reported with cefepime injection include:
Talk with your doctor to learn more about these side effects and how to manage them. Ask your doctor for more information about how long these side effects of cefepime may last.
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of cefepime in detail” section below.
Can cefepime cause kidney-related side effects?
Typically, no. Kidney-related side effects weren’t seen during studies of cefepime injection. But there have been reports of kidney-related side effects in people using cefepime injection after the drug was approved for use. But it’s unclear how often this has happened.
If you have more questions about the risk of kidney-related side effects from cefepime injection, talk with your doctor.
Side effects of cefepime in detail
Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of cefepime injection.
Injection reactions
Injection reactions are a common side effect of cefepime. These include inflammation of a vein and pain or inflammation where the drug was injected. It isn’t known how common these reactions were in studies of cefepime, but they are typically mild.
With injection reactions, you may experience pain, redness or discoloration, swelling, warmth, or tenderness where cefepime is injected.
Ways to manage
If you experience injection reactions, tell your doctor. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know if you should continue taking cefepime.
Neurotoxicity
Although it wasn’t reported in studies of the drug, neurotoxicity has occurred in people after cefepime was approved for use. Neurotoxicity is damage to the nervous system after exposure to a substance, such as a prescription drug.
With neurotoxicity, serious and life threatening side effects can occur. These include:
Certain factors can increase the risk of neurotoxicity with cefepime injection. These include having kidney problems and taking an inappropriate dosage of cefepime.
Ways to manage
Most often, neurotoxicity symptoms will go away after stopping cefepime. If you experience symptoms of neurotoxicity, contact your doctor. They’ll likely stop cefepime and recommend treatment for your symptoms.
Diarrhea caused by Clostridioides difficile (C. diff)
Cefepime injection can cause diarrhea associated with C. diff (CDAD). This is because antibiotics, including cefepime injection, change the typical flora in the colon. (Flora consists of bacteria and other organisms.) This can cause an overgrowth of certain bacteria, such as C. diff.
CDAD can cause symptoms that range from mild diarrhea to life threatening inflammation of the colon.
Ways to manage
If you experience severe diarrhea, tell your doctor right away. Although it’s rare, CDAD can be life threatening. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, your doctor may recommend you go to the hospital for treatment. They’ll likely have you stop taking cefepime as well.
For some people, cefepime injection can cause an allergic reaction.
But it’s not clear whether this side effect occurred in the drug’s studies.
Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:
- itchiness
- skin rash
- swelling under the skin, typically affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
- swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
Ways to manage
For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.
For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to cefepime injection, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.
Warnings for cefepime
Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking cefepime injection.
Warnings
It may not be safe for you to take cefepime injection if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether cefepime injection is a safe treatment option for you.
Before taking cefepime injection, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:
Cefepime and pregnancy
It’s not known whether cefepime injection should be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.
Cefepime and breastfeeding
It’s not known whether cefepime injection should be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.
Cefepime injection isn’t known to interact with alcohol.
But your doctor may still recommend you avoid alcohol while taking cefepime. This is especially true if you’re taking cefepime injection for a UTI. Alcohol may irritate the bladder and make it harder for your body to fight off an infection. This can worsen your UTI symptoms.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with cefepime injection.
What to ask your doctor
This article describes common and serious side effects of cefepime injection. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.
Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:
- Is my risk of neurotoxicity higher when I first start treatment?
- Will my risk of diarrhea increase the longer I take cefepime?
- How do the side effects of cefepime injection compare with other antibiotics used for UTIs?
Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
