Amoxicillin Dosing for Acute Sinusitis

Adult Dosing Options

• The American College of Physicians recommends amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily or 875 mg twice daily for 5-7 days for adults with acute bacterial sinusitis 1

Pediatric Dosing

• For children with acute sinusitis, amoxicillin 80 mg/kg/day in 3 divided doses for 14 days showed better cure rates at day 3 compared to placebo (85% vs. 37.5%) 2, 3

Duration of Treatment

• The recommended duration for acute bacterial sinusitis treatment is 5-7 days for adults 1
• Treatment should be continued until the patient has been symptom-free for approximately 7 days, generally completing a 10-14 day course 4

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

• Stopping antibiotics prematurely when symptoms improve can lead to incomplete eradication and potential relapse 4
• Using antibiotics for viral upper respiratory infections is inappropriate, as studies show antibiotics do not significantly reduce symptom burden in post-viral rhinosinusitis 2, 3
• Antibiotic treatment is associated with more adverse events compared to placebo, with gastrointestinal side effects being most common 2, 3