Treatment of Acute Uncomplicated Cystitis and Pyelonephritis in Women

Publication Date: March 1, 2011

Key Points

Key Points

  • Preferred antibiotics for acute cystitis are nitrofurantoin, or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) if local resistance rates are < 20%.
  • In patients suspected of pyelonephritis, a urine culture and susceptibility testing should always be performed.
  • Preferred antibiotics for outpatient pyelonephritis are a fluoroquinolone or TMP-SMX. Consider an initial single-dose IV ceftriaxone or an aminoglycoside if community resistance is > 10% or, for TMP-SMX, if susceptibility unknown.
  • Women with pyelonephritis requiring hospitalization should be initially treated with an IV antimicrobial regimen such as a fluoroquinolone, an aminoglycoside with or without ampicillin, an extended-spectrum cephalosporin or extended-spectrum penicillin with or without an aminoglycoside, or a carbapenem.

Selecting a Treatment Regimen

...cting a Treatment Regim...

...Uncomplicated Cystitis...

Nitrofurantoin monohydrate/macrocrystals...

...DS bid for 3 days is an appropriate choi...

Notes: The threshold of 20% as the resistance prev...

...countries and regions, trimethoprim 10...

...are insufficient to make a recommendation...

...omethamine 3 g single-dose is an a...

...illinam 400 mg bid for 3 to 7 days is an appropr...

...uoroquinolones ofloxacin, ciprofloxaci...

...ut have a propensity for collateral damage and...

...nts including amoxicillin-clavulanate, c...

...β-lactams, such as cephalexin, are less well stud...

...he β-lactams generally have inferior ef...

...oxicillin or ampicillin should NOT be u...


...cute Pyelonephriti...

...pected of pyelonephritis, a urine culture and susc...

...in 500 mg bid for 7 days with or without...

...itial one-time IV agent is utilized, a lo...

...nce of fluoroquinolone resistance is thought to ex...

...onsolidated 24-hour dose of an aminoglycosid...

A once-daily oral fluoroquinolone,...

...bid for 14 days is an appropriate cho...

...dated 24-hour dose of an aminoglycos...

...nephritis requiring hospitalization s...


...ated Urinary Tract Infections...


...able 1. Antibiotics for Acute Uncomplica...