Ancef

Who is Ancef for ?

Your doctor has ordered cefazolin, an antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The drug will be either injected into a large muscle (such as your buttock or hip) or added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for 30 minutes, two to four times a day. Cefazolin eliminates bacteria that cause many kinds of infections, including lung, skin, bone, joint, stomach, blood, heart valve, and urinary tract infections. Ancef is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

When should I be careful taking Ancef ?

Before administering cefazolin,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cefazolin, any other cephalosporin [e.g., cefaclor (Ceclor), cefadroxil (Duricef), or cephalexin (Keflex)], penicillins, or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially other antibiotics, probenecid (Benemid), and vitamins.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney, liver, or gastrointestinal disease (especially colitis).
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking cefazolin, call your doctor.
• if you have diabetes and regularly check your urine for sugar, use Clinistix or TesTape. Do not use Clinitest tablets because cefazolin may cause false positive results.

Ancef Side Effects

Although side effects from cefazolin are not common, they can occur. If you are administering cefazolin into a muscle, it may be mixed with lidocaine (Xylocaine) to reduce pain at the injection site. Tell your health care provider if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• diarrhea
• stomach pain
• upset stomach
• vomiting

• skin rash
• itching
• hives
• unusual bleeding or bruising
• difficulty breathing
• sore mouth or throat