Reconstitution of Rocephin (Ceftriaxone) 1 Gram Vial
For a 1 gram vial of Rocephin (ceftriaxone), reconstitute with 9.6 mL of appropriate diluent for intravenous administration to yield a concentration of 100 mg/mL. 1
Reconstitution Options Based on Route of Administration
For Intravenous (IV) Administration:
- Add 9.6 mL of appropriate diluent to the 1 gram vial
- After reconstitution, each 1 mL contains approximately 100 mg of ceftriaxone
- Concentration range of 10-40 mg/mL is recommended for IV infusion
- Administer over 30 minutes (60 minutes in neonates to reduce risk of bilirubin encephalopathy)
For Intramuscular (IM) Administration:
- Add 3.6 mL of diluent to yield a concentration of 250 mg/mL
- Alternatively, add 2.1 mL of diluent to yield a concentration of 350 mg/mL
- Inject well within the body of a relatively large muscle
- Aspirate before injection to avoid inadvertent intravascular administration
Compatible Diluents
The following diluents are compatible with ceftriaxone:
- Sterile Water for Injection
- 0.9% Sodium Chloride Solution
- 5% Dextrose Solution
- Bacteriostatic Water + 0.9% Benzyl Alcohol
- 1% Lidocaine Solution (without epinephrine) - for IM use only
Important Stability Information
After reconstitution:
- IV solutions (10-40 mg/mL) remain stable for 2 days at room temperature (25°C) or 10 days refrigerated (4°C)
- IM solutions (250-350 mg/mL) remain stable for 24 hours at room temperature or 3 days refrigerated
Critical Warnings
- Do not use diluents containing calcium (such as Ringer's solution or Hartmann's solution) to reconstitute ceftriaxone as particulate formation can result 1
- Vancomycin, amsacrine, aminoglycosides, and fluconazole are incompatible with ceftriaxone in admixtures
- When administering other drugs concomitantly with ceftriaxone, give sequentially with thorough flushing of IV lines between administrations
Storage Recommendations
- Store unreconstituted powder at 20-25°C (68-77°F)
- Protect from light before reconstitution
- After reconstitution, protection from normal light is not necessary
- Solution color ranges from light yellow to amber depending on storage time, concentration, and diluent used
Following these reconstitution guidelines will ensure proper administration of ceftriaxone, which has an exceptionally long half-life (5.8-8.7 hours) 2, allowing for once-daily dosing in most clinical scenarios.