title: Pharmacokinetics of meropenem in animals, healthy volunteers, and patients.
abstract: Meropenem is a carbapenem antibiotic that appears to be widely distributed in tissues and is eliminated by both excretion and metabolism. Approximately 70% of meropenem is excreted via the kidneys, thus dosage adjustments are required for patients with renal impairment. The pharmacokinetic parameters for meropenem are similar to those for imipenem/cilastatin, with the exception of meropenem's smaller volume of distribution. The urinary recovery of meropenem is as high as that of imipenem in combination with cilastatin, an inhibitor of renal dehydropeptidase. Therefore, unlike imipenem, meropenem can be used without dehydropeptidase inhibitors to obtain a consistently high concentration in the urine without nephrotoxic effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gill
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000652:urine; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015377:Cilastatin / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D015378:Imipenem / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007223:Infant; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000077731:Meropenem; D015394:Molecular Structure; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014556:Urine / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D013845:Thienamycins; D015377:Cilastatin; D015378:Imipenem; D000077731:Meropenem