Combination antibiotic
A combination antibiotic is one in which two ingredients are added together for additional therapeutic effect.[1] One or both ingredients may be antibiotics.[1]
Antibiotic combinations are increasingly important because of
carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.[3] Some combinations are more likely to result in successful treatment of an infection.[1]
Uses
Antibiotics are used in combination for a number of reasons:
- to treat carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae.[3]
- beta lactamase
- because a person may be infected with more than one microbe simultaneously,bowel perforation.
- because antibiotics used together may act synergisticly to increase the efficacy of both,[3]
- because antibiotics used together may have a broader spectrum than each antibiotic used individually.[3]
Examples
Examples of combinations include:[citation needed]
- beta lactamase
- Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
Research
Research into combination antibiotics is ongoing.[1]