Ceftriaxone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Ceftriaxone is a cephalosporin antibacterial sold in the U.S. under 3 brand and generic names, for acinetobacter infections, infectious bone diseases and chancroid. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Cephalosporin Antibacterial
- Treats (across its forms)
- Acinetobacter Infections, Infectious Bone Diseases and Chancroid
- Available as
- Injectable · Solution
- Sold as
- 3 products — Ceftriaxone, Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container and Rocephin W/ Dextrose in Plastic Container
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $43 for a 30-count supply — not your price
How Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container is dosed
From the FDA label for Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container (application NDA050796). Other ceftriaxone products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
For intravenous use only over approximately 30 minutes. ( 2 ) Use this formulation of ceftriaxone only in patients who require the entire 1 or 2 gram dose and not any fraction thereof. ( 2.1 ) Recommended Dosing Schedule for Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection Site and Type of Infection Dose Frequency Total Daily Dose Usual Adult Dose 1 g to 2 g once a day or in equally divided doses every 12 hours should not exceed 4 g Patients with hepatic impairment and significant renal impairment should not receive more than 2 grams per day of ceftriaxone. Surgical Prophylaxis 1 gram IV once 1/2 to 2 hours before surgery Meningitis 100 mg/kg once a day or in equally divided doses every 12 hours should not exceed 4 g Skin and Skin Structure Infections 50 mg/kg to 75 mg/kg once a day or in equally divided doses every 12 hours should not exceed 2 g Serious Infections other than Meningitis 50 mg/kg to 75 mg/kg every 12 hours should not exceed 2 g 2.1 Adult Population Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection in the DUPLEX® Container should be used only in patients who require the entire 1 or 2 gram dose and not any fraction thereof. The recommended adult dosages are outlined in Table 1. Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection should be administered intravenously (IV) over approximately 30 minutes. The usual duration of therapy is 4 to 14 days; in complicated…
Everything below is the FDA label for Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container (injectable). Ceftriaxone is also sold as solution, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container side effects
The following serious adverse reactions to ceftriaxone are described below and elsewhere in the labeling: Hypersensitivity reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Ceftriaxone-calcium precipitates [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) and Drug Interactions (7.2) ] Neurological Adverse Reactions [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Clostridioides difficile -associated diarrhea [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] Hemolytic anemia [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] The most common adverse reactions occurring in greater than 2% of patients receiving ceftriaxone include diarrhea, eosinophilia, thrombocytosis, leukopenia, and elevations of SGOT and SGPT. To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact B. Braun Medical Inc. at 1-800-854-6851 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Clinical Trials Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. The following reactions occurred in less than or equal to 6% of the patients: Local reactions—pain, induration, tenderness, and phlebitis after IV administration. Hypersensitivity—rash, pruritus, fever or chills. Hematologic—eosinophilia, thrombocytosis, leucopenia, anemia, hemolytic anemia,…
Who shouldn’t take Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container
Anaphylaxis to ceftriaxone or other cephalosporin class antibacterials, penicillins, or other beta-lactam antibacterials ( 4.1 ) 4.1 Anaphylaxis to Ceftriaxone or the Cephalosporin Class of Antibacterials, Penicillins, or Other Beta-lactam Antibacterials Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection is contraindicated in patients who have a history of anaphylaxis to ceftriaxone or the cephalosporin class of antibacterials, penicillins, or other beta-lactam antibacterials [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ].
Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container drug interactions
Vancomycin, amsacrine, aminoglycosides, and fluconazole are physically incompatible. ( 7.1 ) Calcium-containing products: precipitation can occur. ( 7.2 ) 7.1 Vancomycin, Amsacrine, Aminoglycosides, and Fluconazole Vancomycin, amsacrine, aminoglycosides, and fluconazole are physically incompatible with ceftriaxone in admixtures [see Dosage and Administration (2.3) ]. 7.2 Calcium-containing Products Precipitation of ceftriaxone-calcium can occur when Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection is mixed with calcium-containing solutions in the same IV administration line. Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection must not be administered simultaneously with calcium-containing IV solutions. Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection and calcium-containing solutions may be administered sequentially. [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ]
Every ceftriaxone product we track (3)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $43 | View → | |
| 2 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $43 | View → | |
| 3 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $43 | View → |
Combination products containing ceftriaxone
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
How long ceftriaxone keeps
The date on a sealed pack is not the only one: some ceftriaxone labels start a second clock once the product is opened or mixed, as short as 4 hours.
Does ceftriaxone expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsCeftriaxone and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for ceftriaxone: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadLimited information indicates that ceftriaxone produce low levels in milk, which are not expected to cause adverse effects in breastfed infants. Occasionally disruption of the infant's gastrointestinal flora, resulting in diarrhea or thrush have been reported with cephalosporins, but these effects have not been adequately evaluated. Ceftriaxone is acceptable in nursing mothers.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised November 15, 2024. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about ceftriaxone
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 6,171 reports naming ceftriaxone, and the FDA flagged 94% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- dyspnoea516 reports
- pyrexia364 reports
- drug hypersensitivity345 reports
- nausea336 reports
- pneumonia323 reports
- vomiting302 reports
- cough282 reports
- sepsis279 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean ceftriaxone caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved July 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container?
Ceftriaxone for Injection and Dextrose Injection is a sterile, nonpyrogenic, single-dose, packaged combination of Ceftriaxone Sodium and Dextrose Injection (diluent) in the DUPLEX® sterile container. The DUPLEX® Container is a flexible dual chamber container. The drug chamber is filled with ceftriaxone sodium, a sterile, semisynthetic, broad-spectrum cephalosporin antibacterial for intravenous administration. Ceftriaxone sodium is (6 R ,7 R )-7-[2-(2-Amino-4-thiazolyl)glyoxylamido]-8-oxo-3-[[(1,2,5,6-tetrahydro-2-methyl-5,6-dioxo- as -triazin-3-yl)thio]methyl]-5-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.2.0]oct-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid, 7 2 -( Z )-(O-methyloxime), disodium salt, sesquaterhydrate.
What kind of drug is ceftriaxone?
The FDA classifies ceftriaxone as a cephalosporin antibacterial. Cephalosporins kill bacteria by blocking the proteins they use to build their cell walls. Without an intact wall, the bacterium cannot hold its shape and dies, which clears the infection. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take ceftriaxone with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run ceftriaxone against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is ceftriaxone sold under?
We track 3 ceftriaxone-containing products in the U.S.: Ceftriaxone, Ceftriaxone and Dextrose in Duplex Container and Rocephin W/ Dextrose in Plastic Container. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does ceftriaxone come in?
Across the brands we track, ceftriaxone is currently marketed as injectable and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic ceftriaxone?
Yes. Our catalog lists 1 generic ceftriaxone product alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Ceftriaxone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ceftriaxone
- MLA
- “Ceftriaxone: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/ceftriaxone.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for ceftriaxone on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.