| Cephalexin (brand name Keflex) belongs to a class | | | | (bronchitis) and pneumonia. It can be used for |
| of antibiotics called cephalosporins. They have the | | | | treating urinary tract, skin, and bone infections. |
| same action and side effects as penicillin. They | | | | Adults are usually treated with 1 to 4 grams of |
| stop or slow the growth of bacterial cells by | | | | cephalexin per day in divided doses, while children |
| preventing bacteria from forming the cell | | | | are treated with 25-100 mg/kg/day in divided |
| membrane. The cell wall has a protective role and | | | | doses. The dosing interval may be every 6 or 12 |
| holds the cell contents together. Bacteria cannot | | | | hours depending on the infection. The most |
| exist without a cell membrane. | | | | common treatment with cephalexin 500 mg for |
| Cephalexin-sensitive bacteria include | | | | adults is one tablet or capsule every 6 hours. |
| Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus | | | | Drug interactions: Serious interactions of |
| pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, E. coli and | | | | cephalexin with other drugs are uncommon. |
| several others. Cephalexin was sanctioned by the | | | | Cephalexin has not been studied enough in |
| Federal Drug Administration in January 1971. | | | | pregnant women, this is why it it is not safe to |
| It can be found in the form of tablets of 250 g, | | | | use during pregnancy. |
| 500 mg and 1 g, capsules of 250, 333, 500 and | | | | Most cephalosporins pass into the breast milk. |
| 750 mg, as well as powder for suspensionof 125 | | | | Nursing mothers should not take cephalosporins |
| and 250 mg/5 ml. | | | | while breastfeeding. |
| Storage: Tablets and capsules should be stored in | | | | Most common side effects include diarrhea, |
| room temperature conditions, 15-30°C | | | | nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, headaches, |
| (59-86°F). Suspensions should be stored in the | | | | dizziness, skin rash, fever, abnormal liver tests |
| refrigerator and discarded after 14 days. | | | | and vaginitis. Persons who have an allergy to |
| Prescribed for: Cephalexin 500 mg is used as | | | | penicillin may also be allergic to cephalexin. Another |
| treatment for infections caused by bacteria that | | | | side effect of cephalexin and of almost all |
| are susceptible to the effects of cephalexin | | | | antibiotics may be pseudomembranous colitis, a |
| Common infections that are treated with | | | | mild to severe inflammation of the colon. |
| cephalexin 500 mg include infections of the middle | | | | rel="nofollow" onclick="javascript:pageTracker. |
| ear, tonsils, throat, larynx (laryngitis), bronchi | | | | |