Piperacillin-tazobactam: a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination

Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2007 Jun;5(3):365-83. doi: 10.1586/14787210.5.3.365.

Abstract

Piperacillin-tazobactam is a beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combination with a broad spectrum of antibacterial activity that includes Gram-positive and -negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Piperacillin-tazobactam retains its in vitro activity against broad-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing and some extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, but not against isolates of Gram-negative bacilli harboring AmpC beta-lactamases. Piperacillin-tazobactam has recently been reformulated to include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and sodium citrate; this new formulation has been shown to be compatible in vitro with the two aminoglycosides, gentamicin and amikacin, allowing for simultaneous Y-site infusion, but not with tobramycin. Multicenter, randomized, double-blinded clinical trials have demonstrated piperacillin-tazobactam to be as clinically effective as relevant comparator antibiotics. Clinical trials have demonstrated piperacillin-tazobactam to be effective for the treatment of patients with intra-abdominal infections, skin and soft tissue infections, lower respiratory tract infections, complicated urinary tract infections, gynecological infections and more recently, febrile neutropenia. Piperacillin-tazobactam has an excellent safety and tolerability profile and continues to be a reliable option for the empiric treatment of moderate-to-severe infections in hospitalized patients.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Neutropenia / drug therapy
  • Penicillanic Acid / adverse effects
  • Penicillanic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Penicillanic Acid / chemistry
  • Penicillanic Acid / pharmacology
  • Piperacillin / adverse effects
  • Piperacillin / chemistry
  • Piperacillin / pharmacology
  • Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination
  • Pneumonia, Bacterial / drug therapy
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Soft Tissue Infections / drug therapy
  • beta-Lactamase Inhibitors*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • beta-Lactamase Inhibitors
  • Piperacillin, Tazobactam Drug Combination
  • Penicillanic Acid
  • Piperacillin