Clinical medicine profile
Meropenem
Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class)
- Route
- See product SmPC
- Schedule
- POM
- ATC
- Not assigned
- PPB status
- registered
This profile needs source confirmation
Some sections contain general class guidance rather than medicine-specific evidence. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.
Safety essentials
The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to the active substance or excipients.
- Additional absolute contraindications are indication- and product-specific — consult SmPC.
Precautions
- Sensitivity to beta-lactam antibacterials (avoid if history of immediate hypersensitivity reaction, pregnancy and breast-feeding, impaired hepatic or renal functions.
Dosing matrix
Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.
By intravenous injection over 5 minutes or by intravenous infusion, 500 mg every 8 hours, dose doubled in hospital-acquired pneumonia, peritonitis, septicaemia and infections in neutro- penic patients; child 3 months12 years [not licensed for infection in neutropenia] 10 20 mg/kg every 8 hours, over 50 kg body weight adult dose Meningitis, 2 g every 8 hours; child 3 months12 years 40 mg/kg every 8 hours, over 50 kg body weight adult dose Exacerbations of chronic lower respiratory-tract infection in cystic fibrosis, up to 2 g every 8 hours; child 418 years 2540 mg/kg every 8 hours.
See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.
Review renal impairment dosing; many agents need CrCl/eGFR adjustment.
- CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Review hepatic impairment dosing; monitor LFTs if agent is hepatically cleared or hepatotoxic.
Use, effects & interactions
Indications
- Aerobic and anaerobic gram +ve and gram -ve bacteria.
- Clinical selection for Meropenem should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
- Class context: Therapeutic agent (verify pharmacological class).
- Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.
Adverse effects
- GI disturbances, allergic reactions, convulsions, disturbances in liver function tests, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, positive Coombs test, thrombophlebitis at the site of injection among other local reactions.
Drug interactions
Open multi-drug checker ↗- A randomized comparison of meropenem with cefotaxime or ceftriaxone for the treatment of bacterial meningitis in adults showed a superior performance of meropenem (100% cure rate compared with 77%) (Schmutzhard et al., 1995)
- A broad spectrum beta- lactam antibiotic of carbapenem class.
Mechanism & disposition
Inhibits synthesis of bacterial cell wall, causing cell death, hence bactericidal.
Read complete mechanism
Inhibits synthesis of bacterial cell wall, causing cell death, hence bactericidal. Mechanism is agent-specific. At receptor, enzyme, ion channel, transporter or microbial target level, the drug alters a physiological or pathological pathway to produce its therapeutic effect. Confirm precise molecular mechanism in current SmPC / pharmacology reference for this INN before high-stakes decisions.
Product-specific
Product-specific
See product SmPC
are product-specific. Consider food effects, protein binding, hepatic CYP/UGT
when adjusting for organ impairment, age and drug interactions. Verify parameters in the current SmPC.
Pregnancy, lactation & diet
Use only if potential benefit justifies potential risk; prefer agents with better reproductive data when alternatives exist.
Assess infant risk vs benefit of maternal therapy; prefer agents with lactation data.
Brands & loaded prices
| Brand | Manufacturer | Pack | Observed price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aropem 0.5g injection | Arwan Pharmaceutical Industries Lebanon s.a.l | Powder For Solution For Injection/Infusion 0.5g | Unavailable |
| Aropem 1g injection | Arwan Pharmaceutical Industries Lebanon s.a.l | Powder For Solution For Injection/Infusion 1g | Unavailable |
| Canem | Cachet | tabs 1g 1's | Unavailable |
| Canem | Cachet | Inj 500mg 1's | Unavailable |
| MERADO 500 | MEDAFRIQ PHARMA LIMITED | Powder For Solution For Injection/Infusion | Unavailable |
| MERADO 1000 | MEDAFRIQ PHARMA LIMITED | Powder For Solution For Injection | Unavailable |
| Merosan | PTSanbe | tabs 1g 1's | Unavailable |
| OLVER | Not recorded | 1GM IV INJ 1'S | KES 268.75Daima Chemist price-list reference ↗ Source date not recorded · verify current price |
| Ronem | Venus | tabs 1g 1's | Unavailable |
| Ronem | Venus | Inj 500mg 1's | Unavailable |
| Specbac | Square | tabs 1g 1's | Unavailable |
Sources & review state
Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.