True or False: Ertapenem (Ivanz) can be administered to a patient with a hypersensitivity to lidocaine.

Ertapenem (Ivanz) is a carbapenem antibiotic used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. It is not chemically related to lidocaine, which is a local anesthetic. Therefore, a hypersensitivity to lidocaine does not directly indicate a risk of hypersensitivity to ertapenem. The mechanisms of action and the structures of these two drugs are different, and typically, an allergy to one does not imply an allergy to another unless there is a known cross-reactivity.

In a clinical scenario, it is important to evaluate a patient's allergies comprehensively. However, in general practice, the presence of a lidocaine allergy would not preclude the use of ertapenem. This understanding makes the statement false regarding the administration of ertapenem to a patient with a hypersensitivity to lidocaine.