Zosyn (sterile piperacillin sodium/tazobactam sodium)
The following drug information is obtained from various newswires, published
medical journal articles, and medical conference presentations.
General Information
Zosyn has been approved for the treatment of moderate to severe
nosocomial (hospital-acquired) pneumonia caused by
piperacillin-resistant beta-lactamase-producing strains of
Staphylococcus aureus. Nosocomial pneumonia is a disease that has
proven increasingly resistant to many available antibiotics.
Zosyn is an injectable antibiotic consisting of beta-lactamase
inhibitor, tazobactam, in combination with an extended-spectrum
penicillin, piperacillin. The piperacillin component offers the
safety and efficacy of a broad-spectrum, beta-lactam antibiotic.
Tazobactam reduces the vulnerability of Zosyn to bacteria that
produce beta-lactamase enzymes.
Because of its broad spectrum of bactericidal activity against
gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic organisms,
Zosyn is also indicated as monotherapy for intra-abdominal
infections (specifically appendicitis and peritonitis); skin and
skin structure infections including cellulitis, cutaneous abscesses
and ischemic/diabetic foot infections; and gynecologic infections
(postpartum endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease).
Clinical Results
In a multicenter study of 300 subjects with nosocomial
pneumonia, the rate of clinical cure or improvement for Zosyn plus
tobramycin was 74%, compared with 50% for ceftazidime plus
tobramycin (p is less than .01). The Zosyn regimen eradicated 78%
of all pathogens, compared with 57% in the ceftazidime group.
Side Effects
Side effects included diarrhea (20%), constipation (8.4%),
agitation (7.1%), and nausea (5.8%).
Additional Information
Nosocomial pneumonia accounts for more than 40% of all
infection-related hospital deaths. It is the most common
hospital-acquired infection among intensive care subject. On
average, this infection adds seven days to the duration of
hospitalization. There are an estimated six cases of nosocomial
pneumonia for each 1,000 hospital discharges. Among elderly
subjects, the incidence climbs to 17 cases per 1,000
discharges.