Cefprozil is an antibiotic that belongs to the family of medications known as cephalosporins. It is used to treat certain types of infections caused by bacteria. It is most commonly used to treat infections of the throat, ear, sinus, skin, and bladder. It works by weakening the cell walls of the bacteria causing the infection, thereby killing the bacteria.

This medication may be available under multiple brand names and/or in several different forms. Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here.

Your doctor may have suggested this medication for conditions other than those listed in these drug information articles. If you have not discussed this with your doctor or are not sure why you are taking this medication, speak to your doctor. Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor.

Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it.

Adults: The recommended dose for adults and adolescents 13 years and older is 250 mg to 500 mg every 12 to 24 hours. The exact dose depends on the condition being treated.

Children: The recommended children's dose is 7.5 mg to 15 mg per kilogram of body weight every 12 hours to treat throat, sinus, or ear infections. For skin infections, the recommended dose is 20 mg per kilogram every 24 hours. The exact dose depends on the condition being treated.

Cefprozil can be taken with or without food.

Finish all of this medication, even you start to feel better. This will reduce the chance of the infection returning.

Many things can affect the dose of a medication that a person needs, such as body weight, other medical conditions, and other medications. If your doctor has recommended a dose different from the ones listed here, do not change the way that you are taking the medication without consulting your doctor.

It is important to take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you miss a dose, take it as soon as possible and continue with your regular schedule. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Store liquid forms of this medication in the refrigerator, out of reach and sight of children. Any medication remaining after 14 days should be safely discarded.

Tablets should be stored at room temperature, and kept out of reach and sight of children.

Do not take cefprozil if you:

• are allergic to cefprozil or any ingredients of the medication
• are allergic to cephalosporin antibiotics

Many medications can cause side effects. A side effect is an unwanted response to a medication when it is taken in normal doses. Side effects can be mild or severe, temporary or permanent. The side effects listed below are not experienced by everyone who takes this medication. If you are concerned about side effects, discuss the risks and benefits of this medication with your doctor.

The following side effects have been reported by at least 1% of people taking this medication. Many of these side effects can be managed, and some may go away on their own over time.

Contact your doctor if you experience these side effects and they are severe or bothersome. Your pharmacist may be able to advise you on managing side effects.

• mild diarrhea
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• headache
• nausea
• stomach cramps (mild)
• vaginal itching or discharge
• vomiting

Although most of these side effects listed below don't happen very often, they could lead to serious problems if you do not check with your doctor or seek medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

• confusion
• itchiness
• severe abdominal or stomach cramps and pain
• signs of liver problems (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, dark urine, pale stools)

Stop taking the medication and seek immediate medical attention if any of the following occur:

• diarrhea (watery and severe, which may also be bloody)
• seizures
• signs of a serious allergic reaction (i.e., abdominal cramps, difficulty breathing, nausea and vomiting, or swelling of the face and throat)
• symptoms of a severe skin rash (such as blistering, peeling, a rash covering a large area of the body, a rash that spreads quickly, or a rash combined with fever or discomfort)

Some people may experience side effects other than those listed. Check with your doctor if you notice any symptom that worries you while you are taking this medication.

Before you begin using a medication, be sure to inform your doctor of any medical conditions or allergies you may have, any medications you are taking, whether you are pregnant or breast-feeding, and any other significant facts about your health. These factors may affect how you should use this medication.

Allergy: Before starting treatment with cefprozil, inform your doctor about any adverse reactions you have had to medications, especially cefprozil, cephalosporins, and penicillins. Some people allergic to penicillin may also be allergic to cephalosporins such as cefprozil. If you have an allergic reaction, contact a doctor.

Antibiotic-associated colitis: Like other antibiotics, this medication may cause a potentially dangerous condition called antibiotic-associated colitis (or pseudomembranous colitis). Symptoms include severe, watery diarrhea that may be bloody. If you notice these symptoms, stop taking cefprozil and contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Bacterial resistance: Misuse of an antibiotic such as cefprozil may lead to the growth of resistant bacteria that will not be killed by the antibiotic. If this happens, the antibiotic may not work for you in the future. Although you may begin to feel better when you first start taking cefprozil, you need to take all of the medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor to finish ridding your body of the infection and to prevent resistant bacteria from taking hold. Do not take cefprozil or other antibiotics to treat a viral infection such as the common cold; antibiotics do not kill viruses, and using them to treat viral infections can lead to the growth of resistant bacteria.

Kidney function: Kidney disease and decreased kidney function may cause this medication to build up in the body, causing side effects. People with kidney disease or reduced kidney function should discuss with their doctor how this medication may affect their medical condition, how their medical condition may affect the dosing and effectiveness of this medication, and whether any special monitoring is needed.

Overgrowth of organisms: Prolonged or repeated use of cefprozil may result in an overgrowth of bacteria or fungi and organisms that are not killed by the medication. This can cause problems such as yeast infections.

Skin reactions: Rarely, people taking cefprozil experience a severe skin reaction that can be life-threatening. These reactions may start as a skin rash that blisters, sores on the lips, eyes, or covers a large area of the body. It can develop into an exfoliating skin condition, with peeling, shedding, or scaling of the skin. If you experience any of these symptoms, or any other unusual skin reaction of the skin, contact your doctor immediately.

Pregnancy: It is not known if cefprozil is safe for use by pregnant women. This medication should not be used during pregnancy unless the benefits outweigh the risks. If you become pregnant while taking this medication, contact your doctor immediately.

Breast-feeding: This medication passes into breast milk. If you are breast-feeding and are taking cefprozil, it may affect your baby. Talk to your doctor about whether you should continue breast-feeding.

Children: It is not known if cefprozil is safe for children under 6 months of age.

There may be an interaction between cefprozil and any of the following:

• aminoglycoside antibiotics (e.g., gentamicin, tobramycin)
• BCG vaccine
• cholera vaccine
• furosemide
• monoclonal antibodies (e.g., atezolizumab, nivolumab)
• paromomycin
• probenecid
• sodium picosulfate
• typhoid vaccine
• warfarin

If you are taking any of these medications, speak with your doctor or pharmacist. Depending on your specific circumstances, your doctor may want you to:

• stop taking one of the medications,
• change one of the medications to another,
• change how you are taking one or both of the medications, or
• leave everything as is.

An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of them. Speak to your doctor about how any drug interactions are being managed or should be managed.

Medications other than those listed above may interact with this medication. Tell your doctor or prescriber about all prescription, over-the-counter (non-prescription), and herbal medications you are taking. Also tell them about any supplements you take. Since caffeine, alcohol, the nicotine from cigarettes, or street drugs can affect the action of many medications, you should let your prescriber know if you use them.