Third-generation oral cephalosporin
Cefixime
Brand names: Suprax
Adult dose
Dose: 200–400mg OD or 200mg BD
Route: Oral
Frequency: OD–BD
Clinical pearls
- BSAC: option for resistant gonorrhoea (now superseded by ceftriaxone IM per BASHH)
- NICE CKS — limited UK use; reserved for specific susceptibility patterns
Contraindications
- Severe beta-lactam hypersensitivity
Side effects
- GI upset
- C. difficile
- Rash
- Hepatotoxicity
- Eosinophilia
Interactions
- Probenecid
- Warfarin (rare INR change)
Monitoring
- Resolution
- C. diff
Reference: BNF; BASHH gonorrhoea; UKHSA; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/cefixime/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
Pathways
- Infective Endocarditis · ESC 2023 Infective Endocarditis Guidelines; NICE NG41
- Eczema Herpeticum · BAD; NICE CKS
- Suspected Bacterial Meningitis (Adult) · NICE NG240 (2024); NICE NG143 (paeds)
- Clostridioides difficile Colitis · NICE NG199 (2021); IDSA/SHEA 2021
- Returning Traveller — Fever · NaTHNaC; PHE; ESCMID 2018
- Malaria — Diagnosis & Management · PHE 2016; WHO 2023