Prescription medication · Carbapenem Antibiotic
ertapenem
Also sold as Invanz. Ertapenem treats moderate to severe infections caused by certain bacteria.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 3,848
- FDA reportsLightly reported
- 2
- InteractionsFew interactions
- $37.91
- Generic price (NADAC)
What the data shows
ertapenem (Invanz) is a prescription Carbapenem Antibiotic, among the least-reported drugs the FDA tracks (3,848 FDA reports), with 2 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
ertapenem (Invanz) is a prescription Carbapenem Antibiotic. Ertapenem treats moderate to severe infections caused by certain bacteria.
Ertapenem is an antibiotic medicine. It fights bacteria in your body.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$37.91/unit
Generic Available
Yes (5 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Ertapenem treats moderate to severe infections caused by certain bacteria.
Common side effects
Diarrhea, Nausea, Headache
Key warnings
Ertapenem can cause serious allergic reactions.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from ertapenem's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Ertapenem belongs to a class of drugs called carbapenem antibiotics. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria. This helps your body fight off the infection.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 3,848 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for ertapenem, by number of reports
- Macular Degeneration
Macular Degeneration
768 reports
- Pyrexia
Pyrexia
358 reports
- Nausea 293
Nausea
293 reports
- Pain 284
Pain
284 reports
- Weight Decreased 248
Weight Decreased
248 reports
- Malaise 231
Malaise
231 reports
- Anaemia 223
Anaemia
223 reports
- Therapeutic Product Effect Incomplete 221
Therapeutic Product Effect Incomplete
221 reports
- Chronic Sinusitis 213
Chronic Sinusitis
213 reports
- Paraesthesia Oral 212
Paraesthesia Oral
212 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for ertapenem each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where ertapenem sits
ertapenem has more FDA adverse-event reports than 22% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is ertapenem; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 3,848 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
3,848
Reports Mentioning Death
339
8.8% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
1,953
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | MACULAR DEGENERATION | 768 |
| 4 | PYREXIA | 358 |
| 5 | NAUSEA | 293 |
| 6 | PAIN | 284 |
| 7 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 248 |
| 8 | MALAISE | 231 |
| 9 | ANAEMIA | 223 |
| 10 | THERAPEUTIC PRODUCT EFFECT INCOMPLETE | 221 |
| 11 | CHRONIC SINUSITIS | 213 |
| 12 | PARAESTHESIA ORAL | 212 |
| 13 | INFUSION RELATED REACTION | 208 |
| 14 | ABDOMINAL PAIN | 203 |
| 15 | DYSPEPSIA | 193 |
| 16 | PROCEDURAL PAIN | 192 |
| 17 | HEADACHE | 186 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Ertapenem can cause serious allergic reactions. Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any beta-lactam antibiotics like penicillins or cephalosporins. Seizures have happened during treatment with ertapenem, especially in people with brain problems or kidney issues. Ertapenem can also cause severe diarrhea due to Clostridioides difficile.
Known Drug Interactions
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Co-administration with probenecid inhibits the renal excretion of ertapenem and is therefore not recommended. ( 5.2 , 7.2 ) 7.1 Probenecid Probenecid interferes with the active tubular secretion of ertapenem, resulting in increased plasma concentrations of ertapenem [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Co-administration of probenecid with ertapenem is not recommended.
Mechanism: Probenecid stops the kidneys from getting rid of ertapenem, which causes the levels of the antibiotic in the blood to stay higher for longer.
Carbapenem Antibiotics A clinically significant reduction in serum valproic acid concentration has been reported in patients receiving carbapenem antibiotics (for example, ertapenem, imipenem, meropenem this is not a complete list) and may result in loss of seizure control.
Mechanism: Ertapenem causes a large drop in valproate levels in the blood. This reduction can cause the medication to fail, increasing the risk of having a seizure.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
Can I mix ertapenem with other medications?
Can I use solutions containing dextrose to mix ertapenem?
How long does the IV infusion take?
What if I have kidney problems?
Can ertapenem interact with other medications I'm taking?
What should I do if I develop diarrhea while taking ertapenem?
Can ertapenem cause seizures?
What if I am allergic to lidocaine?
How will I receive ertapenem?
What should I tell my doctor before starting ertapenem?
What are the common side effects of ertapenem?
Does ertapenem interact with other medications?
What drug class is ertapenem?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for ertapenem?
Related Medications in Carbapenem Antibiotic
Other drugs grouped near ertapenem - same-class peers and common alternatives.
amikacin
Amikin
Amikacin is an antibiotic medicine.
Compare with ertapenem →
amoxicillin
Amoxil
Amoxicillin and Clavulanate Potassium is a combination medicine used to fight bacterial infections.
Compare with ertapenem →
amoxicillin/clavulanate
Augmentin
Augmentin is a combination of two medicines, amoxicillin and clavulanate.
Compare with ertapenem →
ampicillin/sulbactam
Unasyn
Unasyn is a combination of two antibiotics that fights bacteria in your body.
Compare with ertapenem →
azithromycin
Zithromax, Z-Pack
Azithromycin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria.
Compare with ertapenem →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for ertapenem: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 3,848.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 8.81%.
- erythromycin Δ 0.00 pts · 18,237 reports · Macrolide Antibiotic 8.81%death share
- pravastatin Δ 0.00 pts · 18,936 reports · HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitor (Statin) 8.81%death share
- dexlansoprazole Δ 0.03 pts · 40,790 reports · Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) 8.84%death share
- melatonin Δ 0.04 pts · 51,370 reports · Hormone Supplement (Sleep Aid) 8.77%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for ertapenem
The FDA label for ertapenem (sold under brand names such as Invanz) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Carbapenem Antibiotic class. Ertapenem treats moderate to severe infections caused by certain bacteria. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Diarrhea, Nausea, Headache.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 3,848 voluntary reports. The database also lists 2 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $37.91.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: January 9, 2026
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages