Amoxicillin Clavulanate

Excerpt

Amoxicillin-clavulanate is an antibiotic commonly used in emergency departments and primary care offices worldwide. This drug combination offers broader coverage by combining amoxicillin, a penicillin derivative effective against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, with clavulanic acid, which counteracts β-lactamase–producing strains. This medication is effective against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) and Neisseria species. Indications for amoxicillin-clavulanate administration also include community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), chronic group A streptococci carriers, and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO); the efficacy of amoxicillin-clavulanate in treating SIBO approximates 50%. Amoxicillin-clavulanate is also indicated for treating acute bacterial rhinosinusitis; the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the American Academy of Otolaryngology's Head and Neck Surgery guidelines recommend this combination medication over amoxicillin alone.