Antipseudomonal penicillins
What are Antipseudomonal penicillins?
Antipseudomonal penicillins are antimicrobial agents, which are used to treat pseudomonal infections. They have the activity of penicillins and aminopenicillins, and additional activity against Pseudomonas, Enterococcus and Klebsiella.
Antipseudomonal penicillins are usually given with beta-lactamase inhibitors because like other penicillins they are susceptible to hydrolysis by beta-lactamases (therefore are not consistently active against Staphylococcus, some gram-negative rods and certain beta-lactamse producing gram-negative anaerobes).
These penicillins when given with aminoglycosides work effectively and avoid development of resistance strains of bacteria.
There are several groups of antipseudomonal antibiotics available today: antipseudomonal penicillins (carboxy and ureido penicillins), antipseudomonal cephalosporins, monobactams, quinolones, aminoglycosides, and carbapenems.
Pseudomonas infection can be treated with a combination of an antipseudomonal beta-lactam (eg, penicillin or cephalosporin) and an aminoglycoside. Carbapenems (eg, imipenem, meropenem) with antipseudomonal quinolones may be used in conjunction with an aminoglycoside.
Antipseudomonal penicillins retain most of the antibacterial activity of penicillin and aminopenicillins. This group of penicillins has added activities against many gram-negative rods, including P. aeruginosa.





