Source: Υπουργείο Υγείας (CY) Revision Year: 2017 Publisher: Remedica Ltd, Aharnon Str., Limassol Industrial Estate, 3056 Limassol, Cyprus
Hypersensitivity to the active substance, to any of the penicillins or to any of the excipients listed in section 6.1.
History of a severe immediate hypersensitivity reaction (e.g. anaphylaxis) to another beta-lactam agent (e.g. cephalosporins, carbapenem or monobactam).
Before initiating therapy with amoxicillin, careful enquiry should be made concerning previous hypersensitivity reactions to penicillins, cephalosporins or other beta-lactam agents (see sections 4.3 and 4.8).
Serious and occasionally fatal hypersensitivity reactions (including anaphylactoid and severe cutaneous adverse reactions) have been reported in patients on penicillin therapy. These reactions are more likely to occur in individuals with a history of penicillin hypersensitivity and in atopic individuals. If an allergic reaction occurs, amoxicillin therapy must be discontinued and appropriate alternative therapy instituted.
Amoxicillin is not suitable for the treatment of some types of infection unless the pathogen is already documented and known to be susceptible or there is a very high likelihood that the pathogen would be suitable for treatment with amoxicillin (see section 5.1). This particularly applies when considering the treatment of patients with urinary tract infections and severe infections of the ear, nose and throat.
Convulsions may occur in patients with impaired renal function or in those receiving high doses or in patients with predisposing factors (e.g. history of seizures, treated epilepsy or meningeal disorders (see section 4.8).
In patients with renal impairment, the dose should be adjusted according to the degree of impairment (see section 4.2).
The occurrence at the treatment initiation of a feverish generalised erythema associated with pustula may be a symptom of acute generalised exanthemous pustulosis (AEGP, see section 4.8). This reaction requires amoxicillin discontinuation and contra-indicates any subsequent administration.
Amoxicillin should be avoided if infectious mononucleosis is suspected since the occurrence of a morbilliform rash has been associated with this condition following the use of amoxicillin.
The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction has been seen following amoxicillin treatment of Lyme disease (see section 4.8). It results directly from the bactericidal activity of amoxicillin on the causative bacteria of Lyme disease, the spirochaete Borrelia burgdorferi. Patients should be reassured that this is a common and usually self-limiting consequence of antibiotic treatment of Lyme disease.
Prolonged use may occasionally result in overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms.
Antibiotic-associated colitis has been reported with nearly all antibacterial agents and may range in severity from mild to life threatening (see section 4.8). Therefore, it is important to consider this diagnosis in patients who present with diarrhoea during, or subsequent to, the administration of any antibiotics. Should antibiotic-associated colitis occur, amoxicillin should immediately be discontinued, a physician consulted and an appropriate therapy initiated. Anti-peristaltic medicinal products are contra-indicated in this situation.
Periodic assessment of organ system functions; including renal, hepatic and haematopoietic function is advisable during prolonged therapy. Elevated liver enzymes and changes in blood counts have been reported (see section 4.8).
Prolongation of prothrombin time has been reported rarely in patients receiving amoxicillin. Appropriate monitoring should be undertaken when anticoagulants are prescribed concomitantly. Adjustments in the dose of oral anticoagulants may be necessary to maintain the desired level of anticoagulation (see sections 4.5 and 4.8).
In patients with reduced urine output, crystalluria has been observed very rarely, predominantly with parenteral therapy. During the administration of high doses of amoxicillin, it is advisable to maintain adequate fluid intake and urinary output in order to reduce the possibility of amoxicillin crystalluria. In patients with bladder catheters, a regular check of patency should be maintained (see sections 4.8 and 4.9).
Elevated serum and urinary levels of amoxicillin are likely to affect certain laboratory tests. Due to the high urinary concentrations of amoxicillin, false positive readings are common with chemical methods.
It is recommended that when testing for the presence of glucose in urine during amoxicillin treatment, enzymatic glucose oxidase methods should be used.
The presence of amoxicillin may distort assay results for oestriol in pregnant women.
Concomitant use of probenecid is not recommended. Probenecid decreases the renal tubular secretion of amoxicillin. Concomitant use of probenecid may result in increased and prolonged blood levels of amoxicillin.
Concurrent administration of allopurinol during treatment with amoxicillin can increase the likelihood of allergic skin reactions.
Tetracyclines and other bacteriostatic drugs may interfere with the bactericidal effects of amoxicillin.
Oral anticoagulants and penicillin antibiotics have been widely used in practice without reports of interaction. However, in the literature there are cases of increased international normalised ratio in patients maintained on acenocoumarol or warfarin and prescribed a course of amoxicillin. If co-administration is necessary, the prothrombin time or international normalised ratio should be carefully monitored with the addition or withdrawal of amoxicillin. Moreover, adjustments in the dose of oral anticoagulants may be necessary (see sections 4.4 and 4.8).
Penicillins may reduce the excretion of methotrexate causing a potential increase in toxicity.
Animal studies do not indicate direct or indirect harmful effects with respect to reproductive toxicity. Limited data on the use of amoxicillin during pregnancy in humans do not indicate an increased risk of congenital malformations. Amoxicillin may be used in pregnancy when the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks associated with treatment.
Amoxicillin is excreted into breast milk in small quantities with the possible risk of sensitisation. Consequently, diarrhoea and fungus infection of the mucous membranes are possible in the breast-fed infant, so that breast-feeding might have to be discontinued. Amoxicillin should only be used during breast-feeding after benefit/risk assessment by the physician in charge.
There are no data on the effects of amoxicillin on fertility in humans. Reproductive studies in animals have shown no effects on fertility.
No studies on the effects on the ability to drive and use machines have been performed. However, undesirable effects may occur (e.g. allergic reactions, dizziness, convulsions), which may influence the ability to drive and use machines (see section 4.8).
The most commonly reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are diarrhoea, nausea and skin rash.
The ADRs derived from clinical studies and post-marketing surveillance with amoxicillin, presented by MedDRA System Organ Class are listed below.
The following terminologies have been used in order to classify the occurrence of undesirable effects.
Very common (≥1/10), Common (≥1/100 to <1/10), Uncommon (≥1/1,000 to <1/100), Rare (≥1/10,000 to <1/1,000), Very rare (<1/10,000), Not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).
| Infections and infestations | |
| Very rare | Mucocutaneous candidiasis |
| Blood and lymphatic system disorders | |
| Very rare | Reversible leucopenia (including severe neutropenia or agranulocytosis), reversible thrombocytopenia and haemolytic anaemia. Prolongation of bleeding time and prothrombin time (see section 4.4). |
| Immune system disorders | |
| Very rare | Severe allergic reactions, including angioneurotic oedema, anaphylaxis, serum sickness and hypersensitivity vasculitis (see section 4.4). |
| Not known | Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (see section 4.4). |
| Nervous system disorders | |
| Very rare | Hyperkinesia, dizziness and convulsions (see section 4.4). |
| Gastrointestinal disorders | |
| Clinical Trial Data | |
| *Common | Diarrhoea and nausea |
| *Uncommon | Vomiting |
| Post-marketing Data | |
| Very rare | Antibiotic associated colitis (including pseudomembraneous colitis and haemorrhagic colitis see section 4.4). Black hairy tongue |
| Hepatobiliary disorders | |
| Very rare | Hepatitis and cholestatic jaundice. A moderate rise in AST and/or ALT. |
| Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders | |
| Clinical Trial Data | |
| *Common | Skin rash |
| *Uncommon | Urticaria and pruritus |
| Post-marketing Data | |
| Very rare | Skin reactions such as erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, bullous and exfoliative dermatitis, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) (see section 4.4) and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). |
| Renal and urinary tract disorders | |
| Very rare | Interstitial nephritis Crystalluria (see sections 4.4 and 4.9 Overdose) |
* The incidence of these AEs was derived from clinical studies involving a total of approximately 6,000 adult and paediatric patients taking amoxicillin.
Reporting suspected adverse reactions after authorisation of the medicinal product is important. It allows continued monitoring of the benefit/risk balance of the medicinal product. Healthcare professionals are asked to report any suspected adverse reactions via the national reporting system: Cyprus, Pharmaceutical Services, Ministry of Health, CY-1475 Nicosia, Fax: +357 22608649, Website: www.moh.gov.cy/phs.
Not applicable.
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