Ceftriaxone: clinical review, consumption in Portugal and safety alerts

Abstract

Ceftriaxone is a 3rd generation cephalosporin, often prescribed because of its broad spectrum of action. Objectives: (i) To prepare a clinical review of ceftriaxone. (ii) To describe/analyse the profile of cephalosporins consumed in outpatient clinics by Portuguese districts in 2015. (iii) To identify/analyse the safety alerts of ceftriaxone issued by the National and European Medicines (EMA) Agencies. Methods: Diverse sources were accessed, namely PubMed and Micromedex. The report of INFARMED, I.P. on the consumption of cephalosporins in Portugal and the safety alerts of ceftriaxone on the website of INFARMED, I.P. and the EMA were consulted. Results: The clinical review was developed. The districts of Lisbon, Coimbra, Portalegre, Porto and Leiria presented consumptions above the national average (21.25 DHD). Ceftriaxone was the second most commonly used cephalosporin in this group. Only two informative circulars of INFARMED, I.P. on the safety of ceftriaxone were identified. Both circulars were based on the benefit risk assessments of EMA. Conclusion: The efficacy and safety profile of ceftriaxone remains favourable. It is possible that this antibiotic may be prescribed outside the scope of its therapeutic indications, considering the significant differences in its consumption among some Portuguese districts. Thus, monitoring for the appearance of bacterial resistance is critical.