Augmentin - Warnings & Precautions

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PRECAUTIONS

General

While Augmentin possesses the characteristic low toxicity of the penicillin group of antibiotics, periodic assessment of organ system functions, including renal, hepatic and hematopoietic function, is advisable during prolonged therapy.

A high percentage of patients with mononucleosis who receive ampicillin develop an erythematous skin rash. Thus, ampicillin class antibiotics should not be administered to patients with mononucleosis. The possibility of superinfections with mycotic or bacterial pathogens should be kept in mind during therapy. If superinfections occur (usually involving Pseudomonas or Candida), the drug should be discontinued and/ or appropriate therapy instituted. Drug Interactions: Probenecid decreases the renal tubular secretion of amoxicillin. Concurrent use with Augmentin may result in increased and prolonged blood levels of amoxicillin.

Co-administration of probenecid cannot be recommended. The concurrent administration of allopurinol and ampicillin increases substantially the incidence of rashes in patients receiving both drugs as compared to patients receiving ampicillin alone. It is not known whether this potentiation of ampicillin rashes is due to allopurinol or the hyperuricemia present in these patients. There are no data with Augmentin and allopurinol administered concurrently.

In common with other broad-spectrum antibiotics, Augmentin may reduce the efficacy of oral contraceptives.

Drug/ Laboratory Test Interactions:

Oral administration of Augmentin will result in high urine concentrations of amoxicillin. High urine concentrations of ampicillin may result in false-positive reactions when testing for the presence of glucose in urine using Clinitest ® , Benedict's Solution or Fehling's Solution. Since this effect may also occur with amoxicillin and therefore Augmentin, it is recommended that glucose tests based on enzymatic glucose oxidase reactions (such as Clinistix ® or Tes-Tape ® ) be used.

Following administration of ampicillin to pregnant women a transient decrease in plasma concentration of total conjugated estriol, estriol-glucuronide, conjugated estrone and estradiol has been noted. This effect may also occur with amoxicillin and therefore Augmentin.