From the Guidelines
The recommended dosing for Augmentin (amoxicillin-clavulanate) in treating bacterial infections is 875/125 mg twice daily. This dosing is based on the most recent and highest quality study available, which is the 2014 update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America 1. According to this study, Augmentin is recommended for the treatment of animal and human bites, with a dosing of 875/125 mg twice daily.
Key Considerations
- The dosing may vary based on the severity of the infection, patient age, and weight.
- For children, dosing is weight-based, but the study does not provide specific recommendations for pediatric dosing.
- Treatment duration is typically 7-10 days, though some infections may require longer courses.
- Augmentin should be taken with food to reduce gastrointestinal side effects and improve clavulanate absorption.
- Patients with renal impairment require dose adjustments.
Important Details
- Augmentin works by combining amoxicillin, which disrupts bacterial cell wall synthesis, with clavulanate, which inhibits beta-lactamase enzymes that would otherwise inactivate amoxicillin.
- This makes it effective against many beta-lactamase-producing bacteria, including streptococci, S. aureus, and Eikenella corrodens, as well as multiple anaerobic organisms.
- The study recommends broader empirical coverage for abscesses and more focused therapy for nonpurulent infected wounds 1.
Summary of Recommendations
- 875/125 mg twice daily for adults with mild to moderate infections.
- Dose adjustments may be necessary for patients with renal impairment.
- Treatment duration is typically 7-10 days.
- Augmentin should be taken with food to reduce gastrointestinal side effects.
From the Research
Recommended Dosing for Augmentin
The recommended dosing for Augmentin (amoxicillin-clavulanate) in treating bacterial infections varies depending on the type and severity of the infection.
- For mild and moderate infections of the urogenital organs, a single dose of 375 mg thrice daily for 6 to 12 days is recommended 2.
- For community-acquired respiratory tract infections, two new high-dose formulations have been developed:
- For urinary tract infections, a dose of 375 mg tds is well tolerated and has shown a success rate of about 70 per cent for amoxycillin-resistant organisms 4.
- For chancroid, a dose of amoxycillin 500 mg, clavulanic acid 250 mg given every 8 hours for three days was found to be effective 5.
- For lower respiratory tract infections, 'Augmentin' (500 mg amoxycillin + 250 mg clavulanic acid) given orally every 8 hours, for 7 days has shown good clinical response in 10 out of 13 cases 6.