Green Pages Where There Is No Doctor 2011 351
PENICILLIN BY MOUTH
Penicillin V (phenoxymethyl penicillin)
Name:__________________ price:_______ for_ ______
Often comes in: 250 mg. (400,000 U.) tablets
also: suspensions or powders for suspension,
125 or 250 mg. per teaspoon
Penicillin by mouth (rather than injections)
should be used for mild and moderately severe
infections, including:
abscessed or infected teeth
erysipelas
ear infections
sinusitis
sore throat with sudden, high fever
(strep throat)
some cases of bronchitis
rheumatic fever
pneumonia
If infection is severe, it may be best to start with
injections of penicillin, but often penicillin by mouth
can be given instead once improvement begins.
If improvement does not begin within 2 or
3 days, consider using another antibiotic and try to
get medical advice.
Dosage of penicillin for mild infections:
adults and children over 12 years: 500 mg.
4 times a day for 10 days
children from 6 to 12 years: 250 to 500 mg.
4 times a day for 10 days
children from 1 to 5 years old: 125 mg.
4 times a day for 10 days
children less than 1 year old: 62.5 mg.
4 times a day for 10 days
For more serious infections: double the above
dosage.
For strep throat (to prevent rheumatic fever):
take the above dosage 2 times a day for 10 days.
To help the body make better use of the
medicine, always take penicillin on an empty
stomach, at least 1 hour after or 2 hours before
meals.
INJECTABLE PENICILLIN
Injectable penicillin should be used for certain
severe infections, including:
tetanus
severe pneumonia
badly infected wounds
gangrene
syphilis
Injectable penicillin comes in many different
preparations. Before you inject any penicillin, be
sure to check the amount and the kind.
Choosing the right kind of penicillin
for injection:
Some kinds of penicillin do their job quickly but
do not last long. Others work more slowly but last
longer. There are times when it is better to use one
kind than another.
Short-acting penicillin: These are known
by many names, including crystalline penicillin,
benzylpenicillin, aqueous penicillin, soluble
penicillin, sodium penicillin, potassium penicillin,
and penicillin G injections. These penicillins act
quickly but only stay in the body a short time, so
that they must be injected every 6 hours (4 times a
day). A short-acting penicillin is the best choice for
very severe infections when high doses of penicillin
are needed. For example, for gas gangrene or
when a broken bone pokes through the skin, or
meningitis.
Intermediate-acting penicillin: Procaine
penicillin or procaine penicillin aluminum
monostearate (PAM). These work more slowly
and last about a day in the body, so injections
should be given once daily. Procaine penicillin,
or a combination of procaine and a short-acting
penicillin, is the best choice for most infections
when injectable penicillin is needed.
Long-acting penicillin: Benzathine penicillin.
This penicillin goes into the blood slowly and lasts
up to a month. Its main use is in the treatment of
strep throat and syphilis, and for prevention of
rheumatic fever. It is useful when a person lives
far away from someone who injects or cannot
be counted upon to take penicillin by mouth. For
mild infections a single injection may be enough.
Benzathine penicillin often comes combined with
faster-acting penicillins.