Description

Vancomycin is indicated in potentially life-threatening infections which cannot be treated with other effective, less toxic antimicrobial drugs including the penicillins and cephalosporins. Vancomycin is useful in the therapy of severe staphylococcal infections in patients who cannot receive or who have failed to respond to the penicillins and cephalosporins or who have infections with staphylococci, resistant to other antibiotics. Vancomycin is used in the treatment of endocarditis and as prophylaxis against endocarditis in patients undergoing dental or surgical procedures. Its effectiveness has been documented in other infections due to staphylococci including osteomyelitis, pneumonia, septicemia and soft tissue infections.

Vancomycin is contraindicated in Patients with known hypersensitivity to Vancomycin

It is not known whether it causes foetal harm or not. Vancomycin should be given in pregnancy only if clearly needed and blood levels should be monitored carefully to minimise the risk of foetal toxicity. Vancomycin Hydrochloride is excreted in human milk. Caution should be exercised when Vancomycin is administered to a nursing woman. It is unlikely that a nursing infant can absorb a significant amount of Vancomycin from its gastro-intestinal tract

Patients with borderline renal function and individuals over the age of 60 should be given serial tests of auditory function and of Vancomycin blood levels. All patients receiving the drug should have periodic haematological studies, urine analysis and renal function tests. Vancomycin is very irritating to tissue and causes injection site necrosis when injected intramuscularly. It must be infused intravenously. Injection site pain and thrombophlebitis occur in many patients receiving Vancomycin and are occasionally severe. Prolonged use of Vancomycin may result in the overgrowth of non-susceptible organisms. Careful observation of the patient is essential. If superinfection occurs during therapy, appropriate measures should be taken. In rare instances, there have been reports of pseudomembranous colitis due to C. difficile, developing in patients who received intravenous Vancomycin.

Supportive care is advised with maintenance of glomerular filtration. Vancomycin is poorly removed from the blood by haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis. Haemoperfusion with Amberlite resin XAD-4 has been reported to be of limited benefit

Other antibiotic

Store in a cool and dry place, protected from light. Keep out of reach of children.