Cephalexin Information
Pronunciation
(sef a LEKS in)
What is this drug used for?
• It is used to treat bacterial infections.
Frequently reported side effects of this drug
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
Other side effects of this drug: Talk with your doctor right away if you have any of these signs of:
• Liver problems like dark urine, fatigue, lack of appetite, nausea, abdominal pain, light-colored stools, vomiting, or yellow skin.
• Bruising
• Bleeding
• Chills
• Sore throat
• Severe loss of strength and energy
• Confusion
• Sensing things that seem real but are not
• Unable to pass urine
• Change in amount of urine passed
• Seizures
• Severe dizziness
• Severe headache
• Severe joint pain
• Vaginal pain, itching, and discharge
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis like red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin (with or without fever); red or irritated eyes; or sores in mouth, throat, nose, or eyes.
• Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile-associated diarrhea like abdominal pain or cramps, severe diarrhea or watery stools, or bloody stools.
• Signs of a significant reaction like wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; seizures; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Medication Safety Issues
Sound-alike/look-alike issues:
Cephalexin may be confused with cefaclor, ceFAZolin, ciprofloxacin
Keflex may be confused with Keppra, Valtrex
Storage/Stability
Capsule: Store at 25°C (77°F); excursions permitted to 15ºC to 30ºC (59ºF to 86ºF).
Powder for oral suspension: Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F). Refrigerate after reconstitution; discard after 14 days.
Tablet: Store at 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F).
Adverse Reactions
Frequency not defined.
Central nervous system: Agitation, confusion, dizziness, fatigue, hallucination, headache
Dermatologic: Erythema multiforme (rare), genital pruritus, skin rash, Stevens-Johnson syndrome (rare), toxic epidermal necrolysis (rare), urticaria
Gastrointestinal: Abdominal pain, diarrhea, dyspepsia, gastritis, nausea (rare), pseudomembranous colitis, vomiting (rare)
Genitourinary: Genital candidiasis, vaginal discharge, vaginitis
Hematologic & oncologic: Eosinophilia, hemolytic anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia
Hepatic: Cholestatic jaundice (rare), hepatitis (transient, rare), increased serum ALT, increased serum AST
Hypersensitivity: Anaphylaxis, angioedema, hypersensitivity reaction
Neuromuscular & skeletal: Arthralgia, arthritis, arthropathy
Renal: Interstitial nephritis (rare)
