Table 3.
Match between guidelines for the duration of commonly prescribed antibiotics and their pack sizes, antibiotic and indication by order of frequncy of use in Australia.
| Duration suggested by guideline (Days)b | Duration dictated by pack size (Days)a | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antibiotic | doses/day | Child 8 yrs, 25Kg | Child 1 yr, 10 Kg | −20 −15 −10 −5 −1 1 5 10 15 20 +1 +5 +10 +12 | ||||
| Infection indication | Adult | Shortfall of doses | ← Pack/bottle size (no. of doses)c → | Extra doses (left over)c | ||||
| Amoxicillin | 500mg × 20 | 50mg/ml × 100ml | 25mg/ml × 100ml | |||||
| Bronchitisd,e | 3 | 5 | 6.7 | •••••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘∘∘∘ | |||
| 3 | 5 | 2.7 | ∘∘∘∘∘∘c | •••••••• | ||||
| 3 | 3 | 3.3 | •••••••••• | ∘ | ||||
| Sinusitisf | 3 | 5 | 6.7 | •••••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘∘∘∘ | |||
| 3 | 5 | 4.4 | ∘∘ | ••••••••••••• | ||||
| 3 | 5 | 5.5 | ••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘ | ||||
| Otitis mediaf | 3 | 5 | 6.7 | •••••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘∘∘∘ | |||
| 3 | 5 | 4.4 | ∘∘ | •••••••••••••• | ||||
| 3 | 5 | 5.5 | ••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘ | ||||
| Cephalexin | 500mg × 20 | 50mg/ml × 100ml | 25mg/ml × 100ml | |||||
| Urinary tract infectiong | 2 | 5 (female) | 10 | •••••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | |||
| 2 | 14 (male) | 10 | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | •••••••••••••••••••• | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 4 | ∘∘∘∘ | •••••••••••••••• | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 5 | •••••••••••••••••••• | |||||
| Skin infectionh,i | 2 | 5 | 5 | •••••••••••••••••••• | ||||
| 2 | 5 | 4 | ∘∘ | •••••••• | ||||
| 2 | 5 | 5 | •••••••••• | |||||
| Bronchitis | N/I | N/I | N/I | N/I | ||||
| Amoxycillin+Clavulanate (A+C) | See notesj,k,l,m | 80+11.4mg/ml ×60ml | 80+11.4mg/ml ×60ml | |||||
| Sinusitis 1 | 3 | 7 | 3.3(k) | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | •••••••••• | |||
| 3 | 7 | 2.8 | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | ••••••••• | ||||
| 3 | 7 | 7.1 | ••••••••••••••••••••• | |||||
| Urinary tract infectionl | 2 | 5 (female) | 5(m) | •••••••••• | ||||
| 2 | 14 (male) | 5(m) | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | •••••••••• | ||||
| 2 | 5 | 4.3 | 0 | ••••••••• | ||||
| 2 | 5 | 10.7 | ••••••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | ||||
| Otitis mediaj | 3 | 5 | 3.3(k) | ∘∘∘∘∘ | •••••••••• | |||
| 3 | 5 | 2.8 | ∘∘∘∘∘∘ | ••••••••• | ||||
| 3 | 5 | 7.1 | ••••••••••••••••••••• | ∘∘∘∘∘∘ | ||||
| Roxithromycin | 300mg × 5 | 50mg × 10 | 50mg × 10 | |||||
| Bronchitis | 1 | N/I | N/I | N/I | N/I | |||
| Streptococcal throatn,o | 1 | 10 | 5 | ∘∘∘∘∘ | • •••• | |||
| 2 | 10 | 2.5 | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | • •••• | ||||
| 2 | 10 | 5° | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | •••••••••• | ||||
| Skin infectionn,o,q | 1 | 10 | 5 | ∘∘∘∘∘ | • •••• | |||
| 2 | 10 | 2.5 | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | • •••• | ||||
| 2 | 10q | 5° | ∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘∘ | •••••••••• | ||||
a: The most appropriate form and strength of antibiotic was chosen for age according to recommendations in Therapeutic Guidelines for treatment of specified infection; b: The shortest course of the recommended treatment was chosen, when open to choice; c: Doses rounded to nearest whole dose; d: The most common subgroup taken as “non‐severe suspected bacterial pneumonia, or exacerbations of prior COPD; e: Amoxicillin per dose: ‘bronchitis’ (d) 500mg (child amoxycillin 25 mg/kg orally up to 1g); f: Amoxicillin per dose: sinusitis & otitis media 500mg (child 15mg/kg to max of 500mg); g: Cephalexin per dose: UTI 500mg (child 12.5mg/kg up to 500mg); h: Boils and carbuncles/Staphylococcus; i: Cephalexin per dose (h): Boils & carbuncles 1 g (child: 25 mg/kg up to 1 g) orally, 12‐hourly for 5 days.; j: Amoxicillin + clavulinate per dose: amoxycillin resistance suspected/proven: 875+25mg (child: 22.5+3.2 mg/kg up to 875+25 mg) for 7 days; k: Amoxicillin + clavulinate 875+125mg; l: Amoxicillin + clavulinate per dose: UTI 500mg+125 (child 22.5+3.2 mg/kg up to 875mg); m:)Amoxicillin + clavulinate 500+125mg; n: If there is penicillin allergy; o: Roxithromycin per dose: 300mg (child 4mg/kg up to 150mg); p: As dose for one year old is 0.8 tablet, 0.2 is wasted; q: Staphylococcal or streptococcal infection; N/I = Not indicated