Allergic to Penicillin? Some Cephalosporins May Be Safe, AANP Says

Filed in archive Allergy to Drugs on July 2, 2007

According to the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), there are new evidences suggesting that cephalosporins without a beta-lactam side chain may be safely used in patients with known allergies to penicillin.

As long as a true allergic reaction to penicillin can be established, warns Amelie Hollier, M.S.N., FNP, of Advanced Practice Education Associates in Lafayette, La., at the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners meeting:

"Many patients say they are allergic, but then list symptoms that do not coincide with that kind of response. It must be a true IgE-mediated reaction including bronchospasm, Angioedema, hypotension, and urticaria or pruritic rash."

Most penicillin allergies are related to the beta-lactam side chain, thus there is an increased likelihood of cross-sensitivity to those cephalosporins that also have a beta-lactam side chain.

The cephalosporin medications that are likely to cross-react after penicillin allergies have been established include:

• Cephalexin


• Cefadroxil


• Ceflaclor


• Cephradine


• Cefprozil


• Ceftriaxone


• Cefpodoxime

While the following cephalosporins that lack the beta-lactam side chain will be safer to use:

• Cefazolin


• Cefuroxime


• Cefdinir


• Cefixime


• Ceftibuten

Find more details from the full report.