Brand Names for Ceftazidime
Ceftazidime is marketed under the brand name FORTAZ (and other regional brand names), and is a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic administered parenterally for serious Gram-negative bacterial infections. 1
Chemical and Pharmaceutical Information
FORTAZ is the primary FDA-approved brand name for ceftazidime in the United States, supplied as a sterile, dry-powdered mixture of ceftazidime pentahydrate and sodium carbonate. 1
The formulation is available in single-dose vials equivalent to 500 mg, 1 g, or 2 g of anhydrous ceftazidime activity. 1
Solutions range in color from light yellow to amber depending on the diluent and volume used, with a pH of freshly constituted solutions typically ranging from 5 to 8. 1
Combination Products
Ceftazidime is also available in combination formulations with beta-lactamase inhibitors:
Ceftazidime-avibactam (marketed as Zavicefta® in the EU) combines ceftazidime with the novel non-β-lactam β-lactamase inhibitor avibactam for enhanced activity against resistant Gram-negative pathogens. 2
This combination product is approved for complicated urinary tract infections, complicated intra-abdominal infections, hospital-acquired pneumonia (including ventilator-associated pneumonia), and infections caused by aerobic Gram-negative organisms in patients with limited treatment options. 2
Clinical Context
Ceftazidime (as FORTAZ or generic formulations) is recognized in multiple international guidelines as a third-generation cephalosporin with activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa when used at appropriate doses (typically 2 g IV q8h). 3, 4
The combination product ceftazidime-avibactam is specifically recommended for carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales at a dose of 2.5 g IV q8h. 4