What is the typical dosage and treatment duration for Clavulin (amoxicillin-clavulanate) 875mg for bacterial infections?

Clavulin 875mg Dosing and Duration

For adults with bacterial infections, Clavulin (amoxicillin-clavulanate) 875/125 mg should be administered twice daily, with treatment duration ranging from 5-14 days depending on the specific infection type. 1, 2

Standard Adult Dosing

• The 875 mg/125 mg formulation is specifically indicated for more severe infections and respiratory tract infections, administered every 12 hours 2
• This dosing regimen should be taken at the start of meals to enhance clavulanate absorption and minimize gastrointestinal intolerance 2
• The FDA-approved dose provides 875 mg amoxicillin with 125 mg clavulanate per tablet 2

Infection-Specific Treatment Durations

Respiratory Tract Infections

• Acute bacterial rhinosinusitis: 5-7 days 1
• Community-acquired pneumonia and acute exacerbations of chronic bronchitis: typically 7-14 days 1
• Lower respiratory tract infections demonstrated comparable efficacy between 7-15 days of treatment 3

Chronic Rhinosinusitis

• 14 days of treatment with 875/125 mg twice daily 4
• Studies comparing amoxicillin-clavulanate 875/125 mg twice daily versus cefuroxime 500 mg twice daily for 14 days showed no significant difference in clinical cure rates, but amoxicillin-clavulanate demonstrated significantly faster symptom improvement at days 3-5 (81% vs 56%, p=0.0137) 4

Urinary Tract Infections

• Complicated UTIs and pyelonephritis: 7-14 days 2
• Pediatric UTIs (ages 2-24 months): 7-14 days 4
• Bacteriologic efficacy rates at 2-4 days post-therapy were 81% for the 875/125 mg twice daily regimen 2

Skin and Soft Tissue Infections

• Duration varies by severity; surgical site infections typically require 7-14 days 4
• For postoperative infections, antibiotic choice should be guided by the surgical site (e.g., clean vs. contaminated procedures) 4

Critical Dosing Considerations

• Never substitute two 250 mg/125 mg tablets for one 500 mg/125 mg tablet, as this results in excessive clavulanate dosing (250 mg vs. 125 mg) 1, 2
• The 875/125 mg twice-daily regimen has significantly lower rates of severe diarrhea (1%) compared to 500/125 mg three times daily (2%) 2
• Complete the full prescribed course regardless of clinical improvement to prevent treatment failure and resistance development 1

Comparative Efficacy Data

• The 875/125 mg every 12 hours regimen demonstrated equivalent clinical success rates (93-94%) compared to 500/125 mg every 8 hours for lower respiratory tract infections 3
• For acute bacterial maxillary sinusitis, clinical success rates were 93% for twice-daily dosing versus 88% for three-times-daily dosing (not statistically significant) 5
• High-dose amoxicillin (1750 mg twice daily) showed no additional benefit over standard 875 mg twice daily for acute sinusitis, with similar efficacy (44.3% vs 36.4% reporting significant improvement at day 3) and comparable diarrhea rates 6

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not use amoxicillin-clavulanate as first-line therapy for uncomplicated Group A streptococcal pharyngitis; penicillin V or plain amoxicillin are preferred due to narrower spectrum and lower cost 1
• Avoid using agents excreted only in urine (like nitrofurantoin) for febrile UTIs or pyelonephritis, as they may not achieve adequate tissue concentrations 4
• For penicillin-allergic patients, use alternative agents (cephalexin, clindamycin, azithromycin) rather than amoxicillin-clavulanate 1