Dicloxacillin

INDICATIONS AND USAGE To reduce the development of drug-resistant bacteria and maintain the effectiveness of dicloxacillin sodium capsules and other antibacterial drugs, dicloxacillin sodium capsules should be used only to treat or prevent infections that are proven or strongly suspected to be caused by susceptible bacteria. When culture and susceptibility information are available, they should be considered in selecting or modifying antibacterial therapy. In the absence of such data, local epidemiology and susceptibility patterns may contribute to the empiric selection of therapy. Dicloxacillin is indicated in the treatment of infections caused by penicillinase-producing staphylococci which have demonstrated susceptibility to the drug. Cultures and susceptibility tests should be performed initially to determine the causative organisms and their sensitivity to the drug (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY – Susceptibility Testing ) . Dicloxacillin may be used to initiate therapy in suspected cases of resistant staphylococcal infections prior to the availability of laboratory test results. The penicillinase-resistant penicillins should not be used in infections caused by organisms susceptible to penicillin G. If the susceptibility tests indicate that the infection is due to an organism other than a resistant staphylococcus, therapy should not be continued with a penicillinase-resistant penicillin.