Prepare for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry Oral Boards. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations to ace your exam!

Multiple Choice

Unasyn is the intravenous combination of Ampicillin with which beta-lactamase inhibitor?

Ampicillin can be inactivated by beta-lactamase enzymes produced by some bacteria, so combining it with a beta-lactamase inhibitor protects the antibiotic and broadens its effectiveness. Unasyn is the fixed combination of ampicillin with sulbactam, where sulbactam inhibits a range of beta-lactamases, allowing ampicillin to act against organisms that would otherwise degrade it. Other beta-lactamase inhibitors exist (like clavulanate, tazobactam, and avibactam), but they are paired with different antibiotics in other products, not with ampicillin to form Unasyn.

Ampicillin can be inactivated by beta-lactamase enzymes produced by some bacteria, so combining it with a beta-lactamase inhibitor protects the antibiotic and broadens its effectiveness. Unasyn is the fixed combination of ampicillin with sulbactam, where sulbactam inhibits a range of beta-lactamases, allowing ampicillin to act against organisms that would otherwise degrade it. Other beta-lactamase inhibitors exist (like clavulanate, tazobactam, and avibactam), but they are paired with different antibiotics in other products, not with ampicillin to form Unasyn.