American journal of hospital pharmacy
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Comparative Study
Stability of ceftazidime (with arginine) stored in plastic syringes at three temperatures.
The stability of ceftazidime (with arginine) stored in plastic syringes at three temperatures was studied. Ceftazidime (with arginine) was reconstituted with sterile water for injection to a concentration of 100 mg/mL and transferred to plastic syringes. Syringes were stored at 22 degrees C for 24 hours; at 4 degrees C for 7 or 10 days, then at 22 degrees C for 24 hours; or at -20 degrees C for 91 days, then at 22 degrees C for 24 hours or at 4 degrees C for seven days followed by 22 degrees C for 24 hours. ⋯ Mean ceftazidime concentration remained > 90% of initial concentration at all storage conditions. Although during storage the color of the solutions changed from light straw to dark yellow and the pH decreased, no precipitate was visually detected and no peaks for degradation products appeared on the chromatograms. Ceftazidime 100 mg/mL (with arginine) in sterile water for injection was stable when stored in plastic syringes for up to 24 hours at 22 degrees C, for 10 days at 4 degrees C followed by up to 24 hours at 22 degrees C, and for 91 days at -20 degrees C followed by up to 24 hours at 22 degrees C or by 7 days at 4 degrees C and up to 24 hours at 22 degrees C.
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The prevalence and course of renal dysfunction in hospitalized patients and the prescribing of renally eliminated drugs in these patients were studied. All adult inpatients at a large teaching hospital who had a serum creatinine concentration assay performed were screened for renal dysfunction (an estimated creatinine clearance of < 40 mL/min). Renally compromised patients were monitored for changes in renal function. ⋯ Of the 60 patients with renal dysfunction for whom a renally eliminated drug was prescribed, 27 (45%) were receiving dosages in excess of the manufacturers' recommendations. Changes in creatinine clearance estimates are common in hospitalized patients with renal impairment. Programs designed to alert physicians to potentially excessive dosages of renally eliminated drugs need to be sensitive to these changes.
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Comparative Study
Stability of ceftazidime in plastic syringes and glass vials under various storage conditions.
The stability of ceftazidime solutions (100 and 200 mg/mL) in plastic syringes and glass vials under various storage conditions was examined. Solutions of ceftazidime 100 and 200 mg/mL in sterile water were placed in polypropylene plastic syringes or glass vials and stored (1) at 21-23 degrees C for up to 8 hours, (2) at 4 degrees C for up to 96 hours, (3) at -20 degrees C for 28 days and then 21-23 degrees C for up to 8 hours, (4) at -20 degrees C for 28 days and then 4 degrees C for up to 96 hours, (5) at -20 degrees C for 91 days and then 21-23 degrees C for up to 8 hours, or (6) at-20 degrees C for 91 days and then 4 degrees C for up to 96 hours. Samples were withdrawn from each syringe and vial at designated times and assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. ⋯ Ceftazidime was stable under all storage conditions. In all containers, particulate matter was within USP specifications for small-volume injections, with no change in particle count as a result of the freezing and thawing. Ceftazidime in sterile water in either glass vials or plastic syringes is stable for 8 hours at room temperature or 96 hours at 4 degrees C when such storage occurs (1) immediately after constitution, (2) after 28 days of frozen storage, or (3) after 91 days of frozen storage.