Pronunciation:

lor-a-KAR-bef

Brand Names:

• Lorabid
• Lorabid Pulvules

Classifications:

Pharmacologic—

2nd Generation Cephalosporin

Chemical—

Carbacephem

Uses of This Medicine:

Loracarbef is used to treat bacterial infections in many different parts of the body. It works by killing bacteria or preventing their growth. This medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other virus infections.

Loracarbef is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before Using This Medicine:

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies—

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Children—

This medicine has been tested in a limited number of children 6 months of age and older. In effective doses, the medicine has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults—

This medicine has been tested in a limited number of elderly patients and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Breast-feeding—

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Other medicines—

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other interactions—

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Other medical problems—

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Kidney disease—Kidney disease may increase the blood level of loracarbef, increasing the chance of side effects

Proper Use of This Medicine:

Loracarbef should be taken at least 1 hour before or at least 2 hours after meals.

To help clear up your infection completely, keep taking loracarbef for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. If you have a ``strep'' infection, you should keep taking this medicine for at least 10 days. This is especially important in ``strep'' infections. Serious heart problems could develop later if your infection is not cleared up completely. Also, if you stop taking this medicine too soon, your symptoms may return.

This medicine works best when there is a constant amount in the blood or urine. To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses. Also, it is best to take the doses at evenly spaced times, day and night. If this interferes with your sleep or other daily activities, or if you need help in planning the best times to take your medicine, check with your health care professional.

Dosing—

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

• For oral dosage forms (capsules or oral suspension):
  • For bronchitis:
    • Adults and children 13 years of age and older—200 to 400 milligrams (mg) every twelve hours for seven days.
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age—Use and dose to be determined by your doctor.
  • For otitis media (ear infection):
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
  • For pneumonia:
    • Adults and children 13 years of age and older—400 mg every twelve hours for fourteen days.
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age—Use and dose to be determined by your doctor.
  • For sinusitis:
    • Adults and children 13 years of age and older—400 mg every twelve hours for ten days.
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age—Use and dose to be determined by your doctor.
  • For skin and soft tissue infections:
    • Adults and children 13 years of age and older—200 mg every twelve hours for seven days.
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
  • For streptococcal pharyngitis (``strep throat''):
    • Adults and children 13 years of age and older—200 mg every twelve hours for ten days.
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age—Dose is based on body weight and must be determined by your doctor.
  • For urinary tract infections:
    • Adults and children 13 years of age and older—200 to 400 mg every twelve to twenty-four hours for seven to fourteen days.
    • Children 6 months to 12 years of age—Use and dose to be determined by your doctor.

Missed dose—

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage—

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Precautions While Using This Medicine:

If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

In some patients, loracarbef may cause diarrhea.

• Severe diarrhea may be a sign of a serious side effect. Do not take any diarrhea medicine without first checking with your doctor . Diarrhea medicines may make your diarrhea worse or last longer.
• For mild diarrhea, diarrhea medicine containing kaolin or attapulgite (e.g., Kaopectate tablets, Diasorb) may be taken. However, other kinds of diarrhea medicine should not be taken. They may make your diarrhea worse or last longer.
• If you have any questions about this or if mild diarrhea continues or gets worse, check with your health care professional.

Side Effects of This Medicine:

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Itching

skin rash

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Diarrhea

loss of appetite

nausea and vomiting

stomach pain

Rare

Dizziness

drowsiness

headache

itching or discharge from the vagina

nervousness

trouble in sleeping

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.