Indication and dose
Susceptible infections (e.g. sinusitis, salmonellosis, oral infections)
By mouth
500 mg every 8 hours, increased if necessary to 1 g every 8 hours, increased dose used in severe infections.
By intramuscular injection
500 mg every 8 hours.
By intravenous injection, or by intravenous infusion
500 mg every 8 hours, increased to 1 g every 6 hours, use increased dose in severe infections.
Indication and dose
Community-acquired pneumonia
By mouth
500 mg 3 times a day for 5 days, increased if necessary to 1 g 3 times a day.
Indication and dose
Acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis
By mouth
500 mg 3 times a day for 7–14 days.
Indications and dose
Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
By mouth
500 mg 3 times a day for 5 days, increased if necessary to 1 g 3 times a day, increased dose used in severe infections.
By intravenous injection, or by intravenous infusion
500 mg every 8 hours, increased to 1 g every 6 hours, increased dose used in severe infections.
Indication and dose
Acute cough [if systemically very unwell or at higher risk of complications]
By mouth
500 mg 3 times a day for 5 days.
Indication and dose
Lyme disease [erythema migrans and/or non-focal symptoms], Lyme disease [affecting cranial nerves or peripheral nervous system]
By mouth
1 g 3 times a day for 21 days.
Indication and dose
Lyme arthritis, Acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans for amoxicillin
By mouth
1 g 3 times a day for 28 days.
Indication and dose
Anthrax (treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis)
for amoxicillin
By mouth
500 mg 3 times a day.
Indication and dose
Dental abscess (short course)
for amoxicillin
By mouth
3 g for 1 dose, then 3 g for 1 dose, to be given 8 hours after the first dose.
Indication and dose
Listerial meningitis
for amoxicillin
By intravenous infusion
2g every 4 hours
Indication and dose
Endocarditis (in combination with another antibiotic if necessary)
for amoxicillin
By intravenous infusion
2g every 4 hours
Indication and dose
Helicobacter pylori eradication [in combination with other drugs]
for amoxicillin
By mouth
1 g twice daily for 7 days for first- and second-line eradication therapy; 10 days for third-line eradication therapy.
Indication and dose
Acute diverticulitis [in combination with gentamicin and metronidazole] for amoxicillin
By intravenous injection, or by intravenous infusion
500 mg every 8 hours; increased if necessary to 1 g every 6 hours, increased dose used in severe infections.
Indication and dose
Prophylaxis of recurrent urinary-tract infection
250 mg once daily, dose to be taken at night, alternatively 500 mg for 1 dose, dose to be taken following exposure to a trigger.
Indication and dose
Lower urinary-tract infection in pregnancy for amoxicillin
By mouth
500 mg 3 times a day for 7 days.
Indications and dose
Urinary-tract infections (short course) for amoxicillin
By mouth
3 g for 1 dose, then 3 g for 1 dose, to be given 10–12 hours after the first dose.
Indication and dose
Asymptomatic bacteriuria in pregnancy for amoxicillin
By mouth
250–500 mg 3 times a day, alternatively 750–1000 mg twice daily.
Indication and dose
Urinary-tract infection (catheter-associated) for amoxicillin
By mouth
500 mg 3 times a day for 7 days.
Side effects - For all penicillins
Common or very common
Diarrhoea; hypersensitivity; nausea; skin reactions; thrombocytopenia; vomiting
Uncommon
Arthralgia; leucopenia
Rare or very rare
Agranulocytosis; angioedema; haemolytic anaemia; hepatic disorders; nephritis tubulointerstitial; neutropenia; pseudomembranous enterocolitis; seizure; severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs)
General side-effects:
Rare or very rare
Antibiotic associated colitis; colitis haemorrhagic; crystalluria; dizziness; hyperkinesia; hypersensitivity vasculitis; mucocutaneous candidiasis
Frequency not known
Enterocolitis; Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction
For amoxicillin
Specific side-effects:
Rare or very rare
With oral use
Black hairy tongue
