It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. In 2019, it was the 83rd most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 9 million prescriptions. In Canada, it was the fifth most common antibiotic used in 2013. In Australia, it is one of the top 15 most prescribed medications. Medical uses
Cefalexin can treat a number of bacterial infections including otitis media, streptococcal pharyngitis, bone and joint infections, pneumonia, cellulitis, and urinary tract infections. It may be used to prevent bacterial endocarditis. It can also be used for the prevention of recurrent urinary-tract infections.Cefalexin does not treat methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections.Cefalexin is a useful alternative to penicillins in patients with penicillin intolerance. For example, penicillin is the treatment of choice for respiratory tract infections caused by Streptococcus, but cefalexin may be used as an alternative in penicillin-intolerant patients. Caution must be exercised when administering cephalosporin antibiotics to penicillin-sensitive patients, because cross-sensitivity with beta-lactam antibiotics has been documented in up to 10% of patients with a documented penicillin allergy. Pregnancy and breastfeeding
It is category A in Australia meaning that no evidence of harm has been found after being taken by many pregnant women. Use during breast feeding is generally safe. Adverse effects
The most common adverse effects of cefalexin, like other oral cephalosporins, are gastrointestinal (stomach area) disturbances and hypersensitivity reactions. Gastrointestinal disturbances include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, the latter being the most common. Hypersensitivity reactions include skin rashes, urticaria, fever, and anaphylaxis.
Absorption is slightly reduced when it is taken with food and the medication can be taken without regard for meals. Peak levels of cefalexin occur about 1 hour after administration. Maximal levels of cefalexin increase approximately linearly over a dose range of 250 to 1,000 mg.Like most other cephalosporins, cefalexin is not metabolized or otherwise inactivated in the body.The elimination half-life of cefalexin is approximately 30 to 60 minutes in people with normal renal function. Therapeutic levels of cefalexin with oral administration are maintained for 6 to 8 hours. For this reason, cefalexin is typically administered once every 6 to 12 hours depending on the indication. More than 90% of cefalexin is excreted unchanged in the urine within 8 hours. Society and culture
It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. The World Health Organization classifies cefalexin as highly important for human medicine. Names
Cefalexin is the International Nonproprietary Name (INN) and the Australian Approved Name (AAN), while cephalexin is the British Approved Name (BAN) and the United States Adopted Name (USAN). Brand names for cefalexin include Keflex, Acfex, Cephalex, Ceporex, L-Xahl, Medoxine, Ospexin, and Torlasporin. Veterinary uses
Dogs
According to Plumbs Veterinary Medication Guides, cefalexin can be used in treating skin, respiratory tract, and urinary tract infections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved it for use in humans and dogs but not for other species. Like other drugs approved for human use, cefalexin may be prescribed by veterinarians for animals in certain situations. References
External links
"Cephalexin". Drug Information Portal. U.S. National Library of Medicine.