Carbapenem antibiotic
Ertapenem
Brand names: Invanz
Adult dose
Dose: 1g IV/IM OD (typical 14 days)
Route: IV / IM
Frequency: OD
Clinical pearls
- BSAC and UKHSA stewardship: complicated intra-abdominal, pelvic, foot ulcer infections, and ESBL pathogens
- Once-daily dosing favourable for OPAT services
- Lacks Pseudomonas / Enterococcus cover (vs meropenem/imipenem)
Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to carbapenems / severe beta-lactam hypersensitivity
Side effects
- Diarrhoea / C. difficile
- Nausea
- Headache
- Seizures (especially renal impairment, brain pathology)
- Rash including DRESS
- Eosinophilia
- Hepatotoxicity
Interactions
- Valproate (significantly reduces valproate levels — avoid combination)
- Probenecid
Monitoring
- FBC
- LFTs
- Renal function
- C. diff surveillance
- Valproate levels (if co-prescribed — avoid)
Reference: BNF; BSAC; UKHSA AMR / OPAT; SmPC; https://bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/ertapenem/. Verify against your local formulary and the latest BNF before prescribing.
Related
Curated clinical cross-links plus same-class fallbacks.
Calculators
- Centor / McIsaac Score for Strep Pharyngitis · Throat
- FeverPAIN Score for Strep Throat · Throat
- Jarisch-Herxheimer Reaction Severity Assessment · Treatment Reactions
- PID Severity (CDC Diagnostic Criteria) · Gynaecological Infections
- Gustilo-Anderson Classification (Open Fractures) · Fracture Classification
- DRIP Score for Drug-Resistant Pneumonia · Pneumonia
Drugs
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