Cephalexin Dosing

Availability

• Cap. Cephalexin 250 mg
• Syrup Cephalexin 125mg/5ml

Dosing:

ADULT
Bacterial Endocarditis Prophylaxis	·         2 g STAT one hour before the procedure
Cystitis	·         250 mg QID or 500 mg BD 7 to 14 days
Otitis Media	·         500 mg orally every 6 hours for 10 to 14 days
Pharyngitis	·         250 mg QID or 500 mg BD
for Skin or Soft Tissue Infection
Osteomyelitis	·         500 mg QIDTherapy should be continued for approximately 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the nature and severity of the infection. ·         Chronic osteomyelitis may require an additional one to two months of antibiotic therapy and may benefit from surgical debridement
Prostatitis	·         500 mg QID for 14 days
Pyelonephritis
URTI	·         250 to 500 mg QID for 7 to 10 days
Bacterial Infection	·         250 to 500 mg QID ·         Therapy should be continued for approximately 7 to 21 days
PEDIATRIC
Otitis Media	·         12.5 to 25 mg/kg QID
Pharyngitis	·         Over 1 year: ·         Streptococcal pharyngitis: 12.5 to 25 mg/kg BD
Skin or Soft Tissue Infection	·         12.5 to 25 mg/kg BD
Bacterial Endocarditis Prophylaxis	·         As an alternative in penicillin-allergic patients (non-anaphylactoid type): 50 mg/kg (maximum 2 g) orally once, 1 hour before procedure

Renal Dose Adjustments

• CrCl 10 to 40 mL/min: 
• The usual dose should be administered every 8 to 12 hours.
• CrCl 9 mL/min or less: 
• The usual dose should be administered every 12 to 24 hours.

Liver Dose Adjustments

• Data not available

Dose Adjustments

• Infections that are more severe or caused by less susceptible organisms may require dosages up to 4 g per day in divided doses.

References:

1. http://www.drugs.com/dosage/cephalexin.html