Piperacillin is a medicine that is generally prescribed to treat various different bacterial infections. It is usually administered as an injection by the treating physician into a vein or muscle, but it can also be prescribed as a pill to take at home. The various infections that it is most commonly prescribed to treat include severe vaginal and urinary tract infections, bone and joint infections, skin and stomach infections, and even pneumonia. This drug alone is commonly used as a treatment by doctors, but it can also used in conjunction with tazobactam, which is another form of antibiotic. Piperacillin is part of the penicillin family of medications, so it has the same uses and many of the same benefits and side effects as penicillin.
There are many instances in which Piperacillin would not be safe for patient to use, the most important reason would be if the patient has an allergy to it or similar medications. Since it is part of the penicillin family, people who have problems with one will more than likely have problems with the other. If an allergy is present, then a different antibiotic may have to be prescribed. As with all other types of medicine, if a person is allergic to it, and they are experiencing some bad side effects, then it should not be taken.
Some other areas of concern when taking Piperacillin would be if the patient is pregnant, has kidney disease, has problems with excessive bleeding, or if they are on a low sodium diet. In these instances the doctor may still prescribe the medication, but they must be made aware of the above conditions. This medication may cause these problems to increase, which may lead to complications. Any type of current medical condition could make this antibiotic work differently than is indicated, so the doctor should be informed about any medical conditions not in a patient's file.
Some other medications, prescription and over the counter, may also interact with this form of penicillin, so the prescribing doctor needs to be aware of all other types of medication that the patient is on. Aspirin and various aspirin products are one such pill that has to be avoided when taking this Piperacillin. Prescription medications that prevent blood clots will also have negative consequences if mixed with Piperacillin.