Description
What is vancomycin and what it is used for:
Vancomycin specifically is an antibiotic indicated in order to treat a number of bacterial infections. It is recommended intravenously for treating complicated skin infections, bloodstream infections, endocarditis, bone and joint infections, and meningitis caused by the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Vancomycin can also be recommended by mouth for the treatment for severe Clostridium difficile colitis.
Dosage: The usual recommended intravenous dose is 500 mg should be given every 6 hours or 1g every 12 hours. The vancomycin 500 mg dose should be infused over a period of at least one hour, whereas a 1 g dose should be administered over a period of at least two hours. Vancomycin must not be recommended by the intramuscular injections.
The initial dose must be no less than 15 mg/kg, even in those patients who are with the mild to moderate renal insufficiency.
Do not stop the dose suddenly as it may cause resistance to bacteria. The treatment duration should be according to the doctor’s prescriptions.
Treatment Reactions: The most commonly reported vancomycin side effects are as follows:
- Upset stomach
- Fainting
- Dizziness
- Sore throat
- Skin rash
- Hives
- Itching
- Difficulty breathing
- Blurred vision
- Unusual bleeding
- Muscle tightness of back and chest
Warnings and Precautions
- Consult with your health care professional about having any allergy with an active or inactive ingredient of the vancomycin injection.
- Talk with your healthcare provider about having any vitamin, herbal remedies, or other medication during the therapy.
- Avoid pregnancy and use proper contraceptive measures during the therapy.
- When recommended intravenously, toxic serum levels may occur.
- When patients take concomitant therapy with an aminoglycoside, serial monitoring of renal function should be performed.
- Vancomycin hydrochloride must be avoided (if possible) in patients with the previous hearing loss.
- Patients consuming oral vancomycin hydrochloride must be warned about its offensive taste.
- In the case of previously has been any inflammatory intestine problem directly consult with healthcare professionals.
- In case of overdose, conditions rush to the toxicity center and health care professional. Special care should be taken also in case of the missed dose.
