Merrem

Action

Inhibits bacterial cell-wall synthesis and penetrates gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria

Availability

Powder for injection: 500-mg and 1-g vials

Indications and dosages

➣ Intra-abdominal infections

Adults: 1 g I.V. q 8 hours over 15 to 30 minutes by infusion or over 3 to 5 minutes as a bolus injection

Children weighing 50 kg (110 lb) or more: 1 g I.V. q 8 hours over 15 to 30 minutes by infusion or over 3 to 5 minutes as a bolus injection

Children ages 3 months and older weighing less than 50 kg (110 lb): 20 mg/kg q 8 hours over 15 to 30 minutes by infusion or over 3 to 5 minutes as a bolus injection

➣ Bacterial meningitis

Children weighing 50 kg (110 lb) or more: 2 g I.V. q 8 hours over 15 to 30 minutes by infusion or over 3 to 5 minutes as a bolus injection

Children ages 3 month and older weighing less than 50 kg (110 lb): 40 mg/kg q 8 hours over 15 to 30 minutes by infusion or over 3 to 5 minutes as a bolus injection, to a maximum of 2 g q 8 hours

➣ Complicated skin and skin-structure infections

Adults: 500 mg I.V. q 8 hours

Dosage adjustment

• Renal impairment

Off-label uses

• Acute pulmonary exacerbation caused by respiratory tract infection with susceptible organisms in cystic fibrosis patients

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to drug, its components, or other beta-lactams

Precautions

Use cautiously in:

• sulfite sensitivity, renal disease, seizure disorder

• pregnant or breastfeeding patients

• children.

Administration

• For I.V. bolus, add 10 or 20 ml of sterile water to 500-mg or 1-g vial, respectively, to yield a concentration of 50 mg/ml. Shake until clear. Administer single dose over 3 to 5 minutes.

• For intermittent I.V. infusion, piggyback vials can be reconstituted with compatible I.V. solution (0.9% sodium chloride or 5% dextrose) to yield a concentration of 2.5 to 50 mg/ml. Or vials can be reconstituted as for direct I.V. injection and added to compatible I.V. solution for further dilution. To reconstitute and administer ADD-Vantage systems, follow manufacturer's instructions. Infuse drug over 15 to 30 minutes.

• Use diluted solution immediately, if possible.

Adverse reactions

CNS: headache, insomnia, dizziness, drowsiness, weakness, seizures

CV: hypotension, phlebitis, palpitations, heart failure, cardiac arrest, myocardial infarction

GI: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, tongue discoloration, oral candidiasis, glossitis, pseudomembranous colitis

GU: vaginal candidiasis

Hematologic: anemia, eosinophilia, leukopenia, bone marrow depression, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia

Musculoskeletal: myoclonus

Respiratory: chest discomfort, dyspnea, hyperventilation

Skin: rash, urticaria, pruritus, erythema at injection site

Other: altered taste, fever, pain, fungal infection, anaphylaxis

Interactions

Drug-drug. Probenecid: increased meropenem blood level

Drug-diagnostic tests. Alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, amylase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, blood urea nitrogen, eosinophils, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, lactate dehydrogenase, lipase: increased values

Hematocrit, hemoglobin, platelets, neutrophils, white blood cells: decreased values

International Normalized Ratio, partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time: increased or decreased values

Patient monitoring

• Collect specimens for culture and sensitivity testing as needed. However, be aware that drug therapy may start pending results.

☞ Monitor patient for hypersensitivity reaction or anaphylaxis. If either occurs, stop infusion immediately and initiate emergency treatment.

• Monitor for CNS irritability and seizures.

• In prolonged therapy, evaluate hematopoietic, renal, and hepatic function and watch for overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms.

• If diarrhea occurs, check for pseudomembranous colitis and obtain stool cultures.

• Obtain hearing tests in child being treated for bacterial meningitis.

Patient teaching

• Advise patient to report such adverse reactions as CNS irritability, diarrhea, rash, shortness of breath, or pain at infusion site.

• As appropriate, review all other significant and life-threatening adverse reactions and interactions, especially those related to the drugs and tests mentioned above.