Cefazolin

Warning

Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylaxis, can occur with cefazolin use.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to cefazolin or other cephalosporin class antibacterial drugs, penicillins, or other beta-lactams

Adverse Reactions

• Gastrointestinal reactions (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)
• Allergic reactions (anaphylaxis, urticaria, skin rash)
• Hematologic reactions (neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia)
• Hepatic reactions (transient rise in SGOT, SGPT, and alkaline phosphatase levels)
• Renal reactions (increased BUN and creatinine levels, renal failure)

General Guidance

Patients with reduced renal function require dose adjustments based on creatinine clearance rates.

Pregnancy

• Cefazolin is classified as a Pregnancy Category B drug.
• Reproduction studies have shown no evidence of impaired fertility or harm to the fetus due to cefazolin.

Nursing Mothers

• Cefazolin is present in very low concentrations in the milk of nursing mothers.
• Caution should be exercised when cefazolin is administered to a nursing woman.

Pediatric Use

• Safety and effectiveness for use in premature infants and neonates have not been established.
• Pediatric patients with mild to moderate renal impairment require dose adjustments.

Geriatric Use

• Of the 920 subjects who received cefazolin in clinical studies, 313 (34%) were 65 years and over, while 138 (15%) were 75 years and over.
• No overall differences in safety or effectiveness were observed between these subjects and younger subjects.