Pharmacology - Antibiotics Flashcards
Bacteriostatic or bactericidal: beta-lactams
bactericidal
Mechanism of action: beta-lactams
bind and inhibit penicillin binding proteins which are needed to catalyze the cross-linking (transpeptidation) of the peptidoglycan layer of bacterial cell walls; When PBPs are inactivated by β-lactam antibiotics, bacterial enzymes that hydrolyze the peptidoglycan cross-links during cell wall remodeling continue to function, which breaks down the cell wall further. The accumulation of peptidoglycan precursors also triggers activation of cell wall hydrolases, with further digestion of intact peptidoglycan. The end result is bac- terial rupture.
Why do different beta-lactam antibiotics have different spectrums of activities?
bacteria possess multiple penicillin binding proteins, which vary in their affinities for different beta-lactams; inhibition of PBP1a and PBP1b leads to cell lysis, whereas inhibition of PBP2 results in rounded cells called spheroblasts. Drugs that produce rapid lysis (e.g., carbapenems) are the most bactericidal and have highest affinity for PBP1.
Mechanisms of resistance to beta-lactams?
Beta-lactamase production, altered penicillin binding proteins (e.g. PBP2a), exclusion of drugs that normally diffuse through porins to their site of action
Time or concentration-dependent: beta-lactams
time-dependent
T/F: Beta-lactamase inhibitors possess weak intrinsic antibacterial activity.
TRUE
Method of excretion: penicillins
rapid renal elimination - active drug is concentrated in the urine
MIC for gram-negative vs gram-positive bacteria: penicillins
Penicillin MICs are generally higher for gram- negative bacteria than gram-positive bacteria; therefore, higher penicillin dosages may also be needed for gram-negative bacte- rial infections.
What are cephalosporins derived from?
Acremonium
Spectrum of activity: Cephalosporins
As the generation increases, there is an increase in gram-negative spectrum, and fourth-generation drugs have truly broad-spectrum activity
T/F: Cephalosporins are resistant to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase.
False: extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) enzymes can hydrolyze even third-generation cephalosporins and present an important therapeutic challenge
Method of excretion: 1st generation cephalosporins
excreted unchanged in the urine
What third generation cephalosporins are approved for use in small animals?
ceftiofur, cefpodoxime proxetil, and cefovecin
Adverse effects: cephalosporins
GI signs, hypersensitivity reactions; false-positive results on test strips that use copper reduction for urine glucose detec- tion. Certain cephalosporins, such as cefotetan and ceftriaxone, may exacerbate bleeding tendencies due to vitamin K antago- nism.8 Reversible bone marrow suppression has been reported in dogs given high doses of ceftiofur, cefonicid, and cefazedone long-term
What is ceftiofur approved for in small animals?
urinary tract infections in DOGS
Mechanism of action: carbapenem
They penetrate the outer membrane of gram- negative bacteria more effectively than many other β-lactam antibiotics and bind to a variety of PBPs, which leads to rapid lysis of a broad spectrum of bacteria
Adverse effects: imipenem
Imipenem is degraded by dehydropeptidase-1, a brush border enzyme in the proximal renal tubules, which results in produc- tion of an inactive metabolite that is nephrotoxic. In order to prevent nephrotoxicity and maximize imipenem’s antibacterial activity, imipenem is administered with cilastatin, which inhib- its the dehydropeptidase-1 enzyme
Adverse effects: carbapenems
vomiting, nausea, and pain on injection. Neurologic signs, including tremors, nystagmus, and seizures, can occur following rapid infusion of imipenem-cilastatin or in animals with renal insufficiency. Imipenem must be administered slowly in intravenous fluids. Slow administration is not required for meropenem
Mechanism of action: glycopeptides
cyclic glycosylated peptide antimicrobials that inhibit the synthesis of peptidoglycan by binding to amino acids (d-alanyl-d-alanine) in the cell wall, preventing the addi- tion of new units
Antibiotic class: Vancomycin?
glycopeptide
Bacteriostatic or bactericidal: glycopeptides
Bactericidal (vancomycin)
Mechanism of resistance to vancomycin?
Resistance to vancomycin results from bacterial alteration of the terminal amino acid to which vancomycin binds.
Adverse effects: vancomycin
histamine release after rapid infusion
Mechanism of action: fluoroquinolones
bind to DNA gyrase (AKA topoisomerase II) and topoisomerase IV – enzymes that cleave DNA during DNA replication. The result is disruption of bacterial DNA and protein synthesis
Why do gram-positive bacteria have higher MICs than gram-negative bacteria for fluoroquinolones?
DNA gyrase is the primary target for gram-negative bacteria and topoisomer- ase IV is the primary target for gram-positive bacteria. Because topoisomerase IV has a lower affinity than DNA gyrase for this group of drugs, higher MICs are observed for gram-positive bacteria compared to the Enterobacteriaceae
What is the only third generation fluoroquinolone approved for small animals?
pradofloxacin – approved for CATS in the US and dogs & cats in Europe
Mechanism of resistance to fluoroquinolones?
DNA gyrase mutations, decreased bacterial permeability, and increased drug efflux
T/F: Resistance to one fluoroquinolone predicts susceptibility to all fluoroquinolones.
True - with the exceptions of third- generation fluoroquinolones (such as pradofloxacin) and cipro- floxacin, which has higher in vitro activity against P. aeruginosa than other fluoroquinolones
Time or concentration-dependent: fluoroquinolones
concentration-dependent
What can affect absorption of fluoroquinolones when administered orally?
poor absorption occurs when they are complexed by divalent and trivalent cation-containing medications (e.g., antacids) and supplements (aluminum, calcium, iron, zinc).
Method of excretion: fluoroquinolones
Most fluoroquinolones are highly concentrated in the urine; Enrofloxacin is metabolized to ciprofloxacin, which is subsequently excreted in the urine. Approximately half of the administered dose of marbofloxacin and orbifloxacin is excreted as unchanged drug in the urine. In contrast, difloxacin is excreted primarily in bile, and little drug enters the urine.
Why can fluoroquinolones penetrate the prostate and respiratory secretions?
due to their lipophilicity
T/F: Fluo- roquinolones can attain high intracellular concentrations and can be used to treat infections caused by intracellular pathogens such as Mycoplasma spp. and some Mycobacterium spp.
TRUE
Adverse effects: fluoroquinolones
GI signs (anorexia, vomiting); Rapid IV administration can cause systemic hypotension, tachycardia, and cutaneous erythema, possibly as a result of histamine release.26 Neurologic signs, including tremors, ataxia, and seizures, can occur in dogs and cats treated with high doses of parenteral fluoroquinolones; cats can develop blindness resulting from acute retinal degeneration, manifested as bilateral mydriasis with tapetal hyperreflectivity when treated with high doses of enro
Why can enrofloxacin cause blindness in cats?
functional defect in a fluoroquinolone transport protein in the cat, with subsequent accumulation of photoreactive drug in the retina
Why can fluoroquinolones affect cartilage?
they inhibit proteoglycan synthesis and chelate mag- nesium
What adverse effect has been reported in dogs treated with >10 mg/kg of pradofloxacin?
myelosuppression
T/F: Fluoroquinolones inhibit some cytochrome p450 enzymes.
True – occurs with theophylline in dogs (decreases metabolism of theophylline)
Bacteriostatic or bactericidal: metronidazole
bactericidal
Mechanism of action: metronidazole
Metronidazole diffuses into bacterial cells as a prodrug and is activated in the cyto- plasm. Once within the cell, the nitro group of metronidazole preferentially accepts electrons from electron transport proteins such as ferredoxin. A short-lived nitroso free radical is thus gen- erated that damages DNA. The intermediate compounds then decompose into non-toxic, inactive end products.
Mechanism of resistance to metronidazole?
reduced drug uptake and decreased reduction activity
Clinical use of metronidazole in dogs and cats?
anaerobic bacterial and protozoal infections
How is metronidazole metabolized? How is it excreted?
by the liver - metabolites and intact drug are excreted in the urine
Adverse effects: metronidazole
neurotoxicity, which tends to occur with high doses (>30 mg/kg/day) or in animals with hepatic dysfunction.
Can metronidazole increase or decrease cyclosporine levels?
increase - inhibits hepatic microsomal enzymes
Bacteriostatic or bactericidal: rifamycins
bactericidal
Mechanism of action: rifamycins
inhibit the beta-subunit of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase –> impaired RNA synthesis
Mechanism of resistance to rifampin?
single mutation that leads to an altered RNA polymerase that does not effectively bind rifampin.
Clinical use of rifampin in small animals?
One of the major advantages of rifampin is its high degree of lipid solubility, which provides the degree of intracellular pen- etration required for treatment of infections caused by intracel- lular bacteria such as Mycobacterium spp. and Brucella canis infections. Rifampin has been used to treat bartonellosis in com- bination with doxycycline; MRS infections