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New search Medicine profile Cefalexin
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Clinical medicine profile

Cefalexin

Beta-lactam antibiotic — cephalosporin

POM
Evidence state Source not available Reviewed 14 Aug 2026
Route
ORAL / PARENTERAL (generation-dependent)
Schedule
POM
ATC
Not assigned
PPB status
registered
Patient advice Check interactions
Verification required

This profile needs source confirmation

A traceable source link is not attached to this profile. Confirm prescribing decisions against the current SmPC and Kenya STG/EML.

01 Risk first

Safety essentials

The information most likely to change a prescribing or dispensing decision.

Contraindications

  • Serious hypersensitivity to cephalosporins.
  • Use extreme caution or avoid if prior anaphylaxis to penicillins (cross-reactivity lower than historically feared but not zero, especially similar side chains).

Precautions

  • Allergy history.
  • Superinfection / C. difficile risk.
  • Adjust renally cleared agents for CrCl.
  • Ceftriaxone: avoid concurrent IV calcium in neonates
  • biliary sludge with prolonged use.
02 Point of care

Dosing matrix

Population and organ-function guidance, shown together for faster comparison.

Adult

250mg every 6 hours or 500mg every 812 hours increased to 11.5g every 68 hours for severe infections; child 25mg/kg daily in divid-ed doses, doubled for severe infections, max. 100mg/kg daily; or under 1 year 125mg every 12 hours, 15 years 125mg every 8 hours, 512 years 250mg every 8 hours. Prophylaxis of recurrent urinary-tract infec-tion, adult 125 mg at night.

Paediatric

See label paediatric section if present; otherwise use paediatric formulary — do not extrapolate adult doses.

Renal

Most require dose adjustment in renal impairment (exceptions/nuances per agent — check SmPC).

  • CrCl 0–120: Confirm renal dosing in product SmPC / primary label.
Hepatic

Usually low; transient LFT elevations possible.

03 Clinical use

Use, effects & interactions

Indications

  • Susceptible respiratory tract infections, UTI, ENT, skin and soft tissue infections, prophylaxis in dental procedures.
  • Clinical selection for Cefalexin should follow culture results where relevant, Kenya STG/EML recommendations, and the current product SmPC.
  • Class context: Beta-lactam antibiotic — cephalosporin.
  • Confirm site-specific dose, duration and monitoring before prescribing.

Adverse effects

  • GI disturbances, allergic reactions, anaphylaxis, genital and anal pruritis, dizziness, fatigue, headache, toxic psychosis, convulsions, super-infection, moniliasis.

Drug interactions

Open multi-drug checker ↗
  • Choose generation by indication and resistance patterns.
  • Prefer narrowest effective spectrum.
  • IV-to-oral switch when clinically stable.
  • Align duration with guidelines (often shorter than historical practice for many infections).
04 Pharmacology

Mechanism & disposition

Inhibits synthesis of bacterial cell wall, causing cell death, hence bactericidal.

Bind PBPsBlock wall cross-linkingOsmotic lysisBactericidal
Read complete mechanism

Inhibits synthesis of bacterial cell wall, causing cell death, hence bactericidal. Cephalosporins inhibit bacterial cell-wall synthesis by binding PBPs and blocking peptidoglycan cross-linking, producing bactericidal activity against susceptible organisms. Spectrum broadens from 1st to later generations; stability to beta-lactamases varies.

Onset

Rapid (IV); 1–2 h oral

Duration

6–24 hours (agent-dependent; ceftriaxone long)

Route

ORAL / PARENTERAL (generation-dependent)

Distribution

into tissues good; CSF penetration generation- and inflammation-dependent (e.g. ceftriaxone/cefotaxime used in meningitis). Many cleared renally; ceftriaxone has dual renal/biliary

Elimination

— caution in neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia.

05 Special populations

Pregnancy, lactation & diet

Pregnancy

Generally considered acceptable in pregnancy when indicated; prefer agents with established safety data.

Lactation

Usually compatible; monitor infant for GI effects.

06 Kenya market

Brands & loaded prices

FromKES 258
MedianKES 258
Listings5
BrandManufacturerPackObserved price
FELAXIN SUSPENSION CROWN HEALTHCARE Powder For Syrup Unavailable
LEOCEF 250 CAPSULES LABORATORY & ALLIED LTD Capsule, Hard Unavailable
RIVALEXIN DAIMA BIASHARA / Wholesale Import 125MG 100ML DRY KES 258.00Daima Chemist price-list reference ↗ Source date not recorded · verify current price
THEOFLEX-250 THEON PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED Capsule, Hard Unavailable
THEOFLEX-500 THEON PHARMACEUTICALS LIMITED Capsule, Hard Unavailable
07 Provenance

Sources & review state

Primary sourceLocal active-ingredient clinical extract; Professional class pharmacology (Beta-lactam antibiotic — cephalosporin)
Last reviewed14 Aug 2026
EvidenceSource not available

Decision support only. Confirm patient-specific decisions against the current product SmPC, Kenya STG/EML, and professional judgement.