Question

Your patient reports an anaphylactic penicillin allergy that occurred 5 years ago. Which of the following antibiotics should NOT be administered to such a patient?

A. amoxicillin (Amoxil), an amino penicillin
B. sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim), a sulfonamide
C. cefixime (Suprax), a 3rd generation cephalosporin
D. amoxicillin & cefixime should NOT be administered, but a sulfonamide is OK.
E. None of the above should be given to a patient with an anaphylactic penicillin allergy.

Answer 1

A patient with a previous anaphylactic penicillin allergy should not be administered amoxicillin.

Step-by-step explanation:

A patient with a previous anaphylactic penicillin allergy should not be administered amoxicillin (Amoxil), an amino penicillin. Although sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (Bactrim), a sulfonamide, and cefixime (Suprax), a 3rd generation cephalosporin, are not contraindicated in patients with a penicillin allergy, it is important to note that cross-reactivity can occur between penicillins and other antibiotics. Therefore, it is generally recommended to avoid using any antibiotic from the same class as the one the patient has previously exhibited an allergic reaction to, unless specifically confirmed by allergy testing.