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.