Intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis regimens
Intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis regimens
These intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis regimens are usually only relevant in a secondary care or hospital setting.
Note that prophylaxis can be given by the oral route to a patient undergoing general anaesthesia if the patient can tolerate this. If this is the case, follow the dosing regimens for oral antibiotic prophylaxis (see Oral antibiotic prophylaxis).
Suitable intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis regimens are presented in the tables below.
Intravenous antibiotic prophylaxis should be given just before the procedure or at induction of anaesthesia.
Intravenous prophylaxis regimens
| Drug | Adult dose | Child dose |
| Amoxicillin |
2 g |
50 mg/kg (maximum dose 2 g) |
In penicillin allergy, a choice of:
| Drug | Adult dose | Child dose |
| Clarithromycin | 500 mg |
15 mg/kg (maximum dose 500 mg) |
| Cefazolin | 1 g |
50 mg/kg (maximum dose 1 g) |
| Ceftriaxone | 1g |
50 mg/kg (maximum dose 1 g) |
Refer to Appendix 1 of the BNF and BNFC for details of drug interactions (available at https://bnf.nice.org.uk/).
See Contraindications and cautions for details of the contraindications and cautions which should be considered when prescribing antibiotic prophylaxis. For more-detailed information on contraindications, cautions and side-effects, refer to the BNF and BNFC (available at https://bnf.nice.org.uk/).