Piperacillin/tazobactam for Injection
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about TAZOCIN EF. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking TAZOCIN EF against the benefits this medicine is expected to have for you.
If you have any questions about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet.
You may need to read it again.
What TAZOCIN EF is used for
The name of your medicine is TAZOCIN EF. It contains the active ingredients piperacillin and tazobactam. They belong to a group of antibiotics called penicillins that work by killing bacteria.
Piperacillin is an antibiotic that kills many types of bacteria. Tazobactam belongs in the penicillin group but does not have activity against bacteria. It helps piperacillin to overcome bacteria which have become resistant to piperacillin.
TAZOCIN EF is active against bacteria which cause serious infections such as: -
Chest infections
Urine infections
Stomach infections
Skin infections
Gynaecological infections
Septicaemia (blood poisoning).
It is also used to treat many other infections.
In hospitalised children aged 2 to 12 years, TAZOCIN EF is used to treat serious infections in the abdomen. TAZOCIN EF is not recommended to treat abdominal infections in children under 2 years.
TAZOCIN EF will not work against infections caused by viruses such as colds or flu.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
TAZOCIN EF is not addictive.
Before you are given TAZOCIN EF
When you must not receive TAZOCIN EF
Do not have TAZOCIN EF if:
1.you have ever had an allergic reaction to:
piperacillin, tazobactam, or any other penicillin antibiotics
any antibiotic in the cephalosporin group
medicines called beta-lactamase inhibitors.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include rash, itching or hives on the skin, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or troubled breathing.
2.TAZOCIN EF should not be given to children under two years of age unless directed by the child's doctor.
Before you start to receive TAZOCIN EF
You must tell your doctor if:
1.you are allergic to any foods, dyes, preservatives or any other medicines
2.you have any other health problems, including kidney or liver disease
The dose of TAZOCIN EF will be altered, depending on blood tests.
3.you are on a low salt diet
4.you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using TAZOCIN EF if you are pregnant.
TAZOCIN EF passes into breast milk. Therefore, if you are breast-feeding, you should discuss with your doctor whether to stop breast-feeding while or stop using TAZOCIN EF.
6.you are being treated with TAZOCIN EF for gonorrhoea, your doctor should test you for syphilis as well.
TAZOCIN EF in high doses may hide early symptoms of syphilis without curing it long-term.
If you are not sure whether you should be taking TAZOCIN EF, talk to your doctor.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
There may be interference between TAZOCIN EF and some other medicines, including:
medicines for gout (probenicid)
aminoglycoside antibiotics, including tobramycin
vancomycin, an antibiotic
preparations used for thinning blood (warfarin, heparin)
methotrexate, used to treat cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory conditions
vecuronium, a muscle relaxant used in surgery
These medicines may be affected by TAZOCIN EF or may affect how well it works. You may need to be given different amounts of your medicine or you may need to be given different medicines.
If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you start taking TAZOCIN EF.
How TAZOCIN EF will be given to you
How much you will be given
The dosage of TAZOCIN EF is generally 4.5g every eight hours. The dose may vary between 2.25g and 4.5 g and may also be given every six hours. For children aged 2 to 12 years, weighing up to 40 kg, and with normal kidney function, the recommended dosage is 112.5 mg/kg (100 mg piperacillin/12.5 mg tazobactam) every 8 hours. For children aged 2 to 12 years, weighing over 40 kg, and with normal kidney function, the recommended dose is 4.5 g (4 g piperacillin/0.5 g tazobactam) every 8 hours.
Your doctor may change these dosages.
If you have kidney disease your doctor will adjust the dose to suit you.
How TAZOCIN EF will be given
A doctor or nurse in hospital will always give TAZOCIN EF to you. It will usually be given to you as a slow injection into a vein over 20-30 minutes.
How long you will receive TAZOCIN EF
The length of time you will be given TAZOCIN EF depends on the type and severity of your infection. It should be given for at least five days, and for 48 hours after all signs of illness and fever have gone.
Overdose
It is unlikely that you will ever receive an overdose of TAZOCIN EF because it will be given by a trained nurse or doctor.
While you are receiving TAZOCIN EF
If you receive TAZOCIN EF for a prolonged time, your doctor may wish to do some blood tests. Sometimes blood disorders can occur if you take TAZOCIN EF.
If a doctor asks you for a urine sample, tell him/her that you are receiving TAZOCIN EF.
Antibiotics in the penicillin family, including TAZOCIN EF, can cause interference in some tests for glucose in urine. Penicillins that are excreted in urine can cause a false-positive result. The doctor will request a test, which is not affected by penicillins.
Things you must do
If you develop severe diarrhoea, tell your doctor immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after stopping TAZOCIN EF.
This may be a sign of a serious side effect that affects the bowel. You may need urgent medical care. Do not take any medicines to treat this diarrhoea without checking with your doctor.
Side Effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking TAZOCIN EF.
TAZOCIN EF is effective in most people, but may have unwanted side effects in some. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
The more common side effects are:
nausea or indigestion
vomiting
diarrhoea or constipation
rash, itchy or red skin
allergic reactions such as hives
a new infection caused by bacteria that are resistant to TAZOCIN EF (superinfection)
difficulty sleeping
headache, dizziness or light-headedness
Rare side effects are:
increased sweating
eczema
flaking or peeling of the skin
inflammation of the mouth
dry mouth
weakness and tiredness
hallucinations
muscle or joint pain or prolonged muscle relaxation
fever
hot flushes
swelling of the hands, feet and ankles
swelling or redness along a vein which is extremely tender when touched
changes in liver function including jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes) or hepatitis
severe diarrhoea caused by a certain superinfection in the gut
convulsions ('fits') if TAZOCIN EF is given in high doses
short-term changes in kidney function
cough, fever, chills, shortness of breath and chest pain
thrush, especially with prolonged treatment.
Less often, serious effects have occurred in people taking TAZOCIN EF.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
tiredness, being short of breath and looking pale
frequent infections such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, nose bleeds
moderate or severe skin rash or blisters often with flu-like symptoms
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything on this list or anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Importantly, tell your doctor if you have severe diarrhoea in the next few weeks after TAZOCIN EF treatment.
Do not try to treat it yourself with medicines that you can buy without a prescription.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not understand anything in this list.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
After using TAZOCIN EF
Storage
It is unlikely that you will be asked to store this medication. If you are:
Keep this medicine where young children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least 1and a half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Keep TAZOCIN EF in a cool, dry place where it stays below 30°C. Do not store it, or any other medicine, in a bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking TAZOCIN EF, or it has passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any left over.
Product description
What it looks like and how it is supplied
TAZOCIN EF is a white powder, which is supplied 4.5 grams of powder in glass containers (vials). The powder containing 4 g of piperacillin and 500 mg (0.5 g) of tazobactam is mixed with sterile liquid to give a solution for injection by your doctor.
Ingredients
TAZOCIN EF vials contain piperacillin and tazobactam as the active ingredients and also contain citric acid and disodium edetate (EDTA).
