Infection: Carbapenems

Question 1

The carbapenems are what type of antibacterials?

Answer 1

beta-lactam with a broad-spectrum of activity which includes many Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and anaerobes.

Question 2

What carbapenems have good activity against pseudomonas aeruginosa?

Answer 2

Imipenem (imipenem with cilastatin) and meropenem.

Question 3

What are the two important infections that carbapenems are NOT effective against?

Answer 3

MRSA and enteroccocus faecium caused infections.

Question 4

Imipenem (imipenem with cilastatin) and meropenem are used for the treatment of what?

Answer 4

Imipenem (imipenem with cilastatin) and meropenem are used for the treatment of severe hospital-acquired infections and polymicrobial infections including septicaemia, hospital-acquired pneumonia, intra-abdominal infections, skin and soft-tissue infections, and complicated urinary-tract infections.

Question 5

Ertapenem is licensed for treating what?

Answer 5

Ertapenem is licensed for treating abdominal and gynaecological infections and for community-acquired pneumonia, but it is not active against atypical respiratory pathogens and it has limited activity against penicillin-resistant pneumococci. It is also licensed for treating foot infections of the skin and soft tissue in patients with diabetes.

Question 6

Unlike other carbapenems, ertapenem is not active against what?

Answer 6

Either Pseudomonas or against Actinetobacter spp.

Question 7

Why is imipenem administered alongside cilastatin?

Answer 7

It is partially inactivated in the kidney by enzymatic activity and is therefore administered alongside cilastatin, a specific enzyme inhibitor, which blocks renal metabolism.

Question 8

Which carbapenem has less seizure-inducing activity and can therefore be used to treat central nervous system infections?

Answer 8

Meropenem