What is the Difference Between Imipenem and Meropenem

The key difference between imipenem and meropenem is that imipenem is an intravenous β lactam antibiotic against bacterial infections normally caused by gram-positive cocci, while meropenem is an intravenous β lactam antibiotic against bacterial infections normally caused by gram-negative bacilli.

Imipenem and meropenem are two antibiotics that are used to treat common bacterial infections. Antibiotics are used to treat some types of bacterial infections. Antibiotics work by killing bacteria or preventing them from spreading to other regions of the body. However, they do not work for all types of bacterial infections. Moreover, antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat chest infections, ear infections in children, or sore throats.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Imipenem
3. What is Meropenem
4. Similarities – Imipenem and Meropenem
5. Imipenem vs Meropenem in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Imipenem vs Meropenem

What is Imipenem?

Imipenem is a semisynthetic thienamycin that has a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, including many multiresistant strains. Imipenem is stable to many beta-lactamase enzymes produced by many bacteria. It is an intravenous β lactam antibiotic discovered by Merck scientists Burton Christensen, William Leanza, and Kenneth Wildonger in the 1970s. They are highly resistant to β lactamase enzymes produced by many multiple drug-resistant bacteria. Therefore, they play a key role in the treatment of infections not readily treated by other antibiotics.

Imipenem was first patented in 1975 and approved for medical use in 1985. It was discovered through lengthy trial research conducted in search of a more stable version of the natural product theinamycin. Theinamycin is produced by the bacterium Streptomyces cattleya, which has antibacterial activity. But, it is unstable in an aqueous solution, so it’s impractical to administer it to patients. Furthermore, imipenem is particularly important for its activity against bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterococcus. But it is not active against MRSA bacteria.

What is Meropenem?

Meropenem is an antibiotic used for bacterial infections normally caused by gram-negative bacilli. It is sold under the brand name Merrem. Meropenem is an intravenous β lactam antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections, including meningitis, intra-abdominal infection, pneumonia, sepsis, and anthrax. Mild side effects of using these antibiotics are nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, headache, rash, and pain at the site of injection. More serious side effects include Clostridioides difficile infection, seizures, and allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis.

Meropenem is in the carbapenem family of medications. Meropenem normally results in bacterial death through a mechanism that blocks their ability to make cell walls. This antibiotic was first patented in 1983. Furthermore, meropenem was first approved for medical use in the United States in 1996. It is also on the World Health organization’s List of Essential Medicines and is classified as a critically important medicine for humans.

What are the Similarities Between Imipenem and Meropenem?

• Imipenem and meropenem are two antibiotics used to treat common bacterial infections.
• Both are intravenous β lactam antibiotics.
• Both drugs belong to the carbapenem family of medications.
• They can be administrated as injections.
• Both may cause side effects.
• They display similar pharmacokinetics.
• Both are prescribed medications by certified medical practitioners.
• They are on the World Health organization’s List of Essential Medicines.

What is the Difference Between Imipenem and Meropenem?

Imipenem is an intravenous β lactam antibiotic used for bacterial infections normally caused by gram-positive cocci, while meropenem is an intravenous β lactam antibiotic used for bacterial infections normally caused by gram-negative bacilli. Thus, this is the key difference between imipenem and meropenem. Furthermore, imipenem was first patented in 1975, while meropenem was first patented in 1983.

The below infographic presents the differences between imipenem and meropenem in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

Summary – Imipenem vs Meropenem

Imipenem and meropenem are two antibiotics used to treat common bacterial infections. They come under the carbapenem family of medications. Imipenem is used for bacterial infections normally caused by gram-positive cocci, while meropenem is used for bacterial infections normally caused by gram-negative bacilli. So, this is the key difference between imipenem and meropenem.

Reference:

1. “Imipenem Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action.” | DrugBank Online.
2. “Merrem IV (Meropenem) Dosing, Indications, Interactions, Adverse Effects, and More.” Reference Medscape.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Imipenem ball-and-stick” By User: Marina Vladivostok – File:Imipenem_hydrate_ball-and-stick.png (CC0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Meropenem 1” By Sixflashphoto – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia