What type of antibiotic is augmentin

Sign up for Augmentin price alerts and find out when the price changes! Amoxicillin and Augmentin are two similar antibiotics. Although they are both in the same antibiotic class, they also have some differences. See below for further comparison. Get the pharmacy discount card.

Amoxicillin and Augmentin are similar beta-lactam antibiotics that can treat similar infections. However, Augmentin is usually reserved for harder to treat infections compared to amoxicillin. These harder to treat infections may include kidney infections or severe skin abscesses. Amoxicillin and Augmentin also differ in how they are formulated.

Both medications share similar side effects and drug interactions. They should be used with caution when taking other antibiotics and blood thinning medications. Because of their similarities and possible side effects, both antibiotics should be reviewed by your doctor. Depending on the infection, your doctor may prescribe one antibiotic over the other.

Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. Amoxicillin vs Augmentin: Main Differences and Similarities. By Gerardo Sison, Pharm. Want the best price on Amoxicillin? Want the best price on Augmentin? However, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics , Augmentin is not usually the first-choice antibiotic for treating ear infections in children.

Augmentin is often reserved for children who have recently been treated with another antibiotic such as amoxicillin. It may also be reserved for those who have had previous ear infections that were not effectively treated by amoxicillin. Cellulitis is a type of skin infection. Augmentin is FDA-approved to treat some types of skin infections, including cellulitis caused by certain bacteria. However, Augmentin is usually not the first-choice antibiotic for treating cellulitis.

Augmentin is approved to treat certain types of respiratory infections. In some cases, this can include bronchitis. Bronchitis is often caused by a virus, so antibiotics are not usually effective in treating it. Antibiotics are sometimes used for treating certain types of acne. Although it may be used off-label for treating acne, Augmentin is not usually a first choice for this purpose.

Augmentin is not FDA-approved for treating diverticulitis. Augmentin XR is usually considered a second-choice antibiotic for diverticulitis. Drinking alcohol while taking Augmentin may increase your risk of certain side effects, or make your side effects worse. Below is a list of medications that can interact with Augmentin. This list does not contain all drugs that may interact with Augmentin. Different drug interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some can interfere with how well a drug works, while others can cause increased side effects.

Before taking Augmentin, be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Taking Augmentin with oral anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin Coumadin, Jantoven might increase the effects of the anticoagulants.

This could result in increased bleeding. If you take an anticoagulant drug with Augmentin, your doctor may need to monitor your bleeding risk more often. Taking Augmentin with allopurinol Zyloprim, Aloprim might increase your risk of developing a skin rash. Some antibiotics, including Augmentin, might decrease how well oral contraceptives such as the birth control pill work.

However, research on this interaction is inconsistent and controversial. Until more is known about this potential interaction, consider using a backup method of contraception while taking Augmentin. Milk and other dairy foods can interact with some antibiotics. You might start to feel better before you finish your entire treatment. Augmentin is taken two or three times daily. You can take Augmentin on an empty stomach or with a meal.

Taking it with a meal may reduce stomach upset and help your body absorb the drug better. You should take Augmentin XR at the start of a meal.

This increases the amount of medication your body absorbs and helps reduce stomach upset. Augmentin can be crushed. However, Augmentin XR should not be crushed. If either type of tablet is scored has an indented line across it , it can be split in half. If you have trouble swallowing pills, ask your doctor or pharmacist about taking Augmentin liquid suspension instead.

Augmentin is a penicillin-type antibiotic. It contains two components: amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Augmentin kills bacteria by attaching to proteins within the bacteria cell. This prevents the bacteria from building a cell wall, which results in the death of the bacteria. Augmentin is considered a broad-spectrum antibiotic.

This means it works against many different types of bacteria. Augmentin begins to work against bacterial infections within hours of when you take it. However, you may not notice improvement in your symptoms for a few days. Augmentin has not been studied enough in pregnant women to know for sure what effects it could have. Studies in animals have not found any harm to the fetus when given to pregnant mothers. Augmentin is excreted in breast milk in small amounts. Augmentin is a combination medication that contains amoxicillin in addition to another drug.

Augmentin and amoxicillin are often used to treat similar types of infections. If your doctor suspects that your infection may be resistant to amoxicillin alone, they may recommend Augmentin instead.

Because it contains amoxicillin as well as clavulanic acid, Augmentin works against more types of bacteria than amoxicillin alone. In this regard, it could be considered stronger than amoxicillin. Yes, Augmentin is an antibiotic in the class of penicillins. This is because it works against many different types of bacteria, including some that are normally resistant to penicillin drugs. Augmentin starts working within a few hours of when you take it. However, your symptoms may not start to improve for a few days after that.

The mg and mg tablets of amoxicillin and clavulanic acid contain the same amount of clavulanic acid. Do not substitute two mg tablets for one mg tablet. The mg regular tablet and the mg chewable tablet contain different amounts of clavulanic acid.

They also should not be substituted. Take amoxicillin and clavulanic acid until you finish the prescription, even if you feel better. If you stop taking amoxicillin and clavulanic too soon, or skip doses, your infection may not be completely treated and the bacteria may become resistant to antibiotics. Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid also is used sometimes to treat certain sexually transmitted diseases STD. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this medication for your condition.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. Amoxicillin and clavulanic acid may cause other side effects.

Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication. Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store the tablets at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture not in the bathroom. Keep liquid medication in the refrigerator, tightly closed, and dispose of any unused medication after 10 days. Do not freeze. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily.

To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location — one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program.

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at If the victim has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can't be awakened, immediately call emergency services at